Google Health's latest update closes another Fitbit gap

Google Health's latest update closes another Fitbit gap as Google rolls out version 5.0.3 of the app on Android and iOS. Since rebranding the Fitbit app as Google Health earlier this year, Google has been steadily restoring features longtime Fitbit users expect while publishing a timeline for what remains missing. The July 2026 release focuses on dashboard flexibility, sleep tracking refinements, and bug fixes that address data discrepancies between Google Health and connected fitness services.

The headline improvement is a more customizable Today view. Previously, Google limited which health metrics appeared on the home screen — a frustrating downgrade from classic Fitbit. Version 5.0.3 lets users add tiles for heart rate variability, breathing rate, SpO2, resting heart rate, skin temperature, friend leaderboards, and numerous other vitals that were previously accessible only through the Health tab.

Sleep tracking also advances. Naps longer than 20 minutes now count toward a 24-hour total sleep duration, and shorter naps appear in the daily sleep view alongside session trends. The Sleep tile on the Today view still reflects only the main overnight session rather than cumulative duration — a distinction worth noting for users who rely on nap data throughout the day.

iPhone users gain parity with recent Android additions: drag-and-drop metric reordering on the Health tab, food search results that display serving size and calories, and naps shown in a separate tab within the daily Sleep Score view. Google had promised to bring back missing Fitbit capabilities while introducing new ones, and this release delivers on part of that roadmap.

Bug fixes address incorrect swimming distance units and mismatched elevation gains between Strava and Google Health. Google says the update began rolling out on July 9, 2026, with staged delivery possibly delaying availability until next week. Several Fitbit-era capabilities remain in development according to Google's updated May 2026 support thread.

Read more: Android Police