Fitbit has pulled the plug on yet another feature

Fitbit is once again reining in its experimental ambitions by pulling the plug on its “Insights Explorer” feature — a move that joins previous cuts like the web app, adventures, challenges, and open groups. The removal of Insights Explorer, which allowed users to query their health and fitness data in a conversational format, marks the latest chapter in Google’s graveyard of innovative yet short-lived features.

Introduced in October as part of the Fitbit Labs testing suite, Insights Explorer leveraged a Gemini-derived Personal Health Large Language Model to provide users with personalized insights based on metrics such as step count, Active Zone Minutes, sleep scores, and heart rate variability. The feature enabled users to ask a variety of questions — from averages and trends to correlations and personal bests — and receive responses enriched with trends, summaries, explanations, and even charts. Despite its promise, the testing phase came with a built-in expiration: a notice in the Fitbit app informed users that testing would conclude on February 28, 2025.

The decision to retire Insights Explorer is the latest in a series of strategic cuts. Fitbit has been streamlining its ecosystem by removing several features that, while innovative, did not align with its evolving vision. The discontinuation of the web app, adventures, challenges, and open groups left some longtime users nostalgic for the days of experimentation.

Although Insights Explorer is no longer accessible, the company hints at a possible future for health insights. Early indications suggested that if testing proved successful, a more integrated, native version of the feature might eventually become part of Fitbit Premium. For now, the removal of the Labs interface (which has even caused the disappearance of the Fitbit Labs menu for non-participants in the Sleep Insights & Tips lab) underscores a decisive pivot towards a more focused product strategy.

For some users, the disappearance of Insights Explorer is bittersweet. While it represents the loss of an innovative tool that provided deep, personalized health insights, it also signals Fitbit’s commitment to refining its offerings. As the competitive digital health market continues to evolve, all eyes will be on Fitbit to see if future iterations of these experimental features can be reimagined into fully-fledged products that resonate with its user base.

Fitbit’s continual reconfiguration of its product lineup may disappoint some dedicated users, but it also reflects a broader trend in tech — where bold ideas are tested and sometimes retired, only to pave the way for the next wave of innovation.