Google Fit Android APIs to be discontinued in mid-2025, Google Fit about to end?

Google has announced that it will only offer and support its own Google Fit APIs for Android until June 30, 2025. This is part of the transition to the Android Health platform, whose Health Connect API structure is similar to the Google Fit API structure. With immediate effect, Google will no longer accept applications to use the Fit APIs; developers should use Health Connect. Google is not saying whether the Google Fit Android app, which has been available for many years, will also be replaced, but has promised details for Google I/O next week.

Android developers should not be surprised. Google has already made health a central component of Android 14 in 2023 and declared that support for the Google Fit Android APIs will be discontinued at the end of 2024. Developers who previously used the Google Fit API should migrate to Health Connect. With the permanent integration of Google Health within the Android system, health data is collected in one place in a data silo.

Last week, Google slightly extended the deadline for the end of the Google Fit APIs in its own Android developer blog. Although new applications for Google Fit APIs will no longer be accepted, existing use will continue to be supported beyond the end of 2024. Existing apps can still use these program libraries until mid-2025.

No more fitness goals

However, developers of apps that have been using Google Fit APIs to date are strongly recommended to make the switch to be able to offer their own services without interruption. Google provides instructions for migrating to Health Connect. However, it should be noted that not all functions that the Google Fit APIs include are also supported by Android Health.

For example, there is no replacement for the Goal API, neither for the Android operating system nor for Wear OS for smartwatches. This allows apps to offer users the opportunity to set personal goals such as daily step counts or specific heart points to motivate themselves. This may no longer be possible in the future without Google's Fit APIs.

Google Fit app facing the end?

This is also the reason for speculation about the imminent end of the Google Fit app. After all, goals are one of the app's main functions alongside its own tracking. Google Fit has already been sidelined, as Google's first own smartwatch, the Pixel Watch, has not relied on Google Fit since 2022, but uses Fitbit apps for fitness tracking. Google had acquired Fitbit the year before.

In addition, the Google Fit app has not received any new functions for some time and has not been updated recently. The last major update was support for Health Connect 2022. Will Google Fit be the next Google app to end up in its own app graveyard? Google Podcasts, the company's own app for podcasts, will also be discontinued shortly. Google promises to reveal details about the Android Health platform at Google I/O on May 14, 2024.

(fds)