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A New Look, Upgraded Fitbit App Will Arrive Later This Year
The new overhaul will include a streamlined, minimalistic design that will match upcoming Pixel Watch 2 watch faces.
Fitbit has announced an updated version of its app that will be released later this year. The new design will focus on essential health and wellness metrics while receiving a usability makeover.
A select group of Fitbit users has been chosen to test the app before its official release, with feedback from their experiences helping the company to meet customer expectations and needs.
One of the most significant changes comes in the form of a three-tab “Today”, “Coach”, and “You” layout. The aim is to help users easily achieve their daily goals, access motivational content, and review personal achievements. In addition, it’s now easier to log steps, exercise duration, and water intake on a smartphone so that users can track their goals even without a Fitbit device.
Fitbit’s design refresh includes a new color palette, updated photography, and illustrations, plus updated icons. In addition, the company has implemented Google Material Design standards, ensuring the new app remains intuitive and user-friendly.
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Because Fitbit is now backed by Google, the new app will also deliver an easier-to-understand privacy experience featuring unified controls to manage Fitbit data and permissions. It’s also worth noting that Fitbit health and wellness data won’t be used for Google ads and will be kept entirely separate from the search giant’s data collection practices.
It’s clear that the Fitbit refresh is part of Google’s groundwork for the upcoming Pixel Watch 2, which is expected to launch later this year alongside the Pixel 8 smartphone.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.