Fitbit’s new app redesign has no dark theme or tablet UI [U]

At the start of this month, Fitbit announced a Material You redesign of its app, and I regret to inform you there is currently no dark theme.

Update 8/28: We’ve additionally learned that there is no tablet UI with letterboxing in use on tablets. It’s not a priority, but being able to browse stats on a large screen would be nice, especially on foldables. This makes more sense on tablets as the Pixel Watch companion app can’t be installed. However, the lack of a dark theme and large screen support makes Fitbit the rare first-party holdout.

Original 8/21: The app is currently in “limited beta,” with Google “inviting select Fitbit users to try out the app” to provide feedback. From the screenshots we have today, it’s a nice modernization that brings the Android and iOS client inline with the latest Material You redesign language. This includes a tall bottom bar, rounded cards, and various other M3 components. Various stat pages have been redesigned, while a “Coach” feature is front and center. 

As of today, we’ve learned from those testing that there is no dark theme to be found; be it automatic with the system or a manual setting. You just get a light theme that doesn’t look to be an entirely white, but rather gray. The bottom bar and FAB is tinted a light turquoise, rather than adopting Dynamic Color. 

Furthermore, a dive into the Fitbit app by our APK Insight team reveals no ongoing work on a dark theme or assets. 

This is disappointing, with Fitbit needing one. (For me, waking up every morning in a darkened room and then opening the bright Fitbit app is annoying.) There are very few first-party apps today that don’t have a dark theme, or aren’t dark by default. Google Opinion Rewards and the just updated Arts & Culture immediately come to mind, but neither are as important as Fitbit.

I think the Fitbit app will eventually get a dark theme. After all, Fitbit on the Pixel Watch/Wear OS looks perfectly fine with a black background. There isn’t really an institutional reason for this beyond development prioritization and resources. Fitbit in recent years likely didn’t offer one for the previous/current app design because this upcoming revamp was in the cards, and the effort would not be worth it.

The team must have just not thought a dark theme to be important for this initial release, which sets out to provide a “simpler design and more motivating content.” I and others disagree, but fine (for now). This new app gives Fitbit a clean slate to build upon and they’ll hopefully be able to add a dark theme sooner than later.

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