Fitbit to expand Android sync compatibility to Nexus devices

Fitbit Force Android compatibility
Fitbit is taking stock of stock Android devices

Fitbit's line of activity trackers have a well-toned leg up on the Nike FuelBand SE when it comes to Android compatibility, but only a few Samsung devices directly sync step data from its trackers.

That's about to change, as the fitness-focused startup revealed it's working on a beta app that will enable the Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and new Nexus 7 to sync in the background too.

Right now, these phone and tablet owners have to use a special USB Bluetooth nub meant for computers to transfer their daily steps and other data from the wristband to the Fitbit dashboard.

Walking to a computer just to wirelessly update the Android app isn't the sort of energy Fitbit wearers want to expel, even if it does burn a few extra calories along the way.

The only people who don't have to do deal with this hassle are owners of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1.

How to sign up for the Fitbit beta

The news about the Fitbit Android beta for the Nexus devices first appeared in the What's New section of the Google Play Store app.

The company informed perceptive readers of the release notes that beta access can be sought by filling out this form.

It requires your Google ID email, mobile device's model number, and the version of the Android OS you are running right now. It also asks which of the four Fitbit trackers you are using.

Interestingly, this suggests that the new app version will be compatible with Fitbit's entire collection of trackers, not just the newly released Fitbit Force.

Fitbit hasn't revealed when the first beta invites go out to quality testing quantified selfers, but we reached out to the company for a comment and will update this story when we hear back.

Now if Fitbit could only make the soon-to-be-released Fitbit Force caller notifications compatible with Android devices and not just iOS 7 phones, we'd be set.

Matt Swider