New FCC submitting might have uncovered Google’s subsequent Fitbit

This one caught our consideration fairly rapidly. A brand new FCC submitting for mannequin G8BL6 appears to be like like some sort of wrist-worn system with straps, a display, GNSS and Bluetooth LE, and it comes from the identical Goertek entity that dealt with Fitbit Air.

The FCC filing confirmed up on September 10 beneath FCC ID SZGG8BL6. It doesn’t really say Google anyplace, and there’s no product title, however when you begin digging by the check paperwork, there are fairly a couple of clues about what this factor is likely to be.

---

The FCC paperwork provides away rather a lot

The applicant is Weifang Goertek Electronics, and G8BL6 is described solely as a “Wireless Device”. Not very useful. The check paperwork, although, provides away fairly a bit extra.

One report mentions that completely different straps have been examined. Another checks the system beneath a zero-distance extremity situation. That makes a wrist-worn system the plain conclusion.

There additionally appears to be a display. The FCC e-label might be opened instantly on the system by Settings > System > Regulatory Information. That is attention-grabbing as a result of Pixel Watch makes use of the identical menu path, whereas Charge 6 places regulatory info someplace else, beneath Settings > Device Info > Regulatory Info.

The radio setup provides us one other clue. G8BL6 helps Bluetooth LE and GNSS, so it seems to have its personal satellite tv for pc positioning slightly than relying fully on a cellphone for location. For now, the FCC authorization solely exhibits Bluetooth LE within the 2.4 GHz band, with no Wi-Fi or mobile listed, which makes it look a lot easier than a Pixel Watch.

There can also be a charging base within the check setup. ADB model 1.0.39 was used to place the system into engineering modes throughout testing. This is a part of the Android debugging toolkit, so that’s one other small Google-shaped clue, though it’s nowhere close to sufficient to say this runs Wear OS.

---

The Fitbit Air connection is tough to disregard

Goertek is the opposite motive this submitting stands out. Google’s personal regulatory documentation identifies Fitbit Air as mannequin GW9C8 with FCC ID SZGGW9C8, which makes use of the identical SZG grantee code as the brand new G8BL6 submitting.

That doesn’t robotically make G8BL6 one other Fitbit. Goertek makes {hardware} for a number of corporations, and nothing on this new submitting explicitly identifies Google because the buyer. Still, the mixture of the Gxxxxx mannequin format, wrist straps, Google-like Settings menu, GNSS and ADB makes this a possible candidate.

It additionally brings us straight again to the thriller tracker Google confirmed in its personal Pixel promoting final month. That system didn’t match Fitbit Air, Pixel Watch 5 or any present Fitbit. It had a slim rectangular show and appeared far more like a traditional health band.

G8BL6 now provides that concept some precise {hardware} proof. We nonetheless can’t say the FCC system and the tracker in Google’s adverts are the identical product, however a screen-equipped wrist wearable with GNSS showing by the identical FCC grantee used for Fitbit Air definitely provides us a significantly better candidate than we had earlier than.

Charge 7 is the plain title to throw at it, however that’s nonetheless a guess. Google has not recognized G8BL6, and nothing within the FCC paperwork incorporates the Fitbit or Charge names.

There might be extra hiding within the FCC paperwork. The guide and system images are being stored personal till March 9, 2027, so there’s a good likelihood the system will launch earlier than then.