The Fitbit Edge is a slim fitness tracker with a 1.34-inch AMOLED display, positioned as an upgrade to the Fitbit Charge 6. Its screen lets users start and stop workouts, view health data and notifications, access media controls and use Google apps such as Google Maps. However, the device does not include NFC, the short-range technology used for contactless payments.
Without an NFC chip, Fitbit Edge owners cannot hold the tracker against a compatible terminal to pay. Google said that fewer than 1% of Charge 6 users reported using NFC, leading the company to focus on other highly requested features instead.
Those additions include Health Guardian features in the updated Google Health app, blood pressure and insulin resistance trends, automatic activity tracking, improved GPS for outdoor activities and a replaceable battery. The Edge does not include some safety functions available on the Pixel Watch 5, such as fall and crash detection.
The Fitbit Air, another recently introduced fitness band, also lacks NFC. Fitbit models that support the technology include the Charge 6, Charge 5, Charge 4 and special editions of the Charge 3. The Sense, Sense 2, Versa 2, Versa 4 and later versions of the original Versa also include NFC.
Google shut down Fitbit Pay in 2024 and replaced it with Google Wallet, which is the only contactless payment service available on Fitbit devices. Fitbit products can connect to the Google Health app on an iPhone, but they cannot access Apple Wallet. Pixel Watches, which are excluded from that limitation, also include NFC.
For users who mainly want health and fitness functions, the omission may have little impact, since phones remain the more common option for contactless payments. Still, NFC could have been convenient in situations where a phone is stored away, such as at a gym.
Sources: Engadget.