Future Android phones may come with another preinstalled Google app

If you have an Android phone, you know it comes with many preinstalled Google apps, such as Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps. In future Android versions, another Google app might be automatically added to the mix.

As 9to5Google first noted, the Oppo Find X8 has Google’s Fitbit app preloaded on the device. It’s now part of Google’s Android app suite on that handset and replaces Google Fit. The site suggests, and probably rightly so, that more Android-based devices will also probably ship with Fitbit preinstalled in the future.

In 2021, Google acquired Fitbit. Since that acquisition, every version of the Pixel Watch, including the Pixel Watch 3, has come with Fitbit preinstalled. However, only one smartphone, the Oppo Find X8, has been released with the Fitbit app already installed.

Currently, Android users can download the Fitbit app from Google Play.

I’m not sure if having another native Google app preinstalled on my phone is significant, especially considering that Fitbit will likely replace Google Fit in the lineup.

However, not everyone is pleased that new Android phones already have so many preinstalled Google apps. These include Google Search, Chrome, Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Google Photos, YouTube Music, and so on. It’s also not uncommon for smartphone makers to include their own preinstalled apps, leading to even more software loaded on your phone right out of the box.

If Google moves forward with including Fitbit as a preinstalled option on every new Android device, it could coincide with the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series, slated for January. This would mark a significant step in Google’s strategy to enhance its ecosystem and compete more effectively in the health and fitness market. On the other hand, if this feature isn’t implemented immediately, it might be strategically rolled out with the anticipated Google Pixel 10 series, which is expected to be unveiled next summer/fall.