When I posted my review of Google Fit several months ago, I pointed out that while it was a good app that had a nice, clean interface, it lacked some of the features that would make it a true must-have fitness app. The latest update to the app, which is rolling out to the Google Play Store now, closes a lot of those gaps by bringing a much tighter integration with other fitness and nutrition apps. The result is that Google Fit becomes a portal for all your nutrition and exercise information.
The update is version 1.55.44-000 for those keeping score at home and while it has been released to the Play Store, it could be a day or two before you see the OTA update if you have it installed. The first thing that is new in this build is the real-time tracking of exercises. If you go on walks, runs or bike rides, you can now have Google Fit track that exercise for you and it will integrate with Google Maps so you can see where you went on your activity. To do this, there is a new Start Activity option in the app’s menu.
Google Fit for Android – Free – Download Now
Related to this is the integration with your Android Wear watch which will now detect and coach you when you are performing push-ups, sit-ups and squats. Naturally this activity is added to your activities for the day within the Google Fit app so you can keep track of all of it in one place.
Google Fit Gives You One Place for Your Exercise and Nutrition Information
Google Fit
Perhaps the biggest news in this update however is the integration with other nutrition and sleep apps. As most readers will know, I’m a big user of MyFitnessPal and while I can’t log my diet information in Google Fit directly, it will link up with the MyFitnessPal app so I can view that nutrition information in Fit. In other words, I don’t have to bounce back and forth between the apps. I can input my diet once in MyFitnessPal then get a more comprehensive picture of my fitness activity & nutrition in Fit.
MyFitnessPal is not the only app that will integrate with Google Fit. Here is the complete list:
You can track your sleep with several bands and apps too that will integrate with Fit
The update to Google Fit is rolling out now and updates to the other apps and services will have to take place in order for integration to fully take place. For example, MyFitnessPal hasn’t integrated for me yet and I’m assuming that is going to require an yet-to-be-received update to the app on my devices. The bottom line is give it a few days folks so your apps can update and the integration can happen.
