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Fitbit for Android now works with recent Motorola and Nexus devices

Fitbit for Android now works with recent Motorola and Nexus devices

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Fitbit app on the Moto X
Fitbit app on the Moto X

Fitbit is a top name in fitness tracking devices, but the company's products often haven't been the most inclusive choice for Android users. That situation has now significantly improved, as Fitbit has updated its Android app with support for a number of new phones — including the Moto X, the latest Nexus devices, and six recent Droid models.

The trick is support for Bluetooth Low Energy. Fitbit trackers use BLE to sync with mobile devices, but unlike Apple — whose mobile products have supported BLE since the iPhone 4S — the Android ecosystem has been slow to adopt the technology by comparison. Up until today just a handful of Android devices worked with Fitbit products, with the last two generations of Samsung's Galaxy S smartphone serving as the standout examples.

Google built Bluetooth Low Energy support into Android 4.3 earlier this year, paving the way for the expanded functionality. That said, things don't seem to be perfect just yet; the app turns off background syncing for the newly added devices by default, and Fitbit recommends leaving it that way to avoid "rapid battery drain." We're including the list of new devices below, and if you happen to own one of the smartphones in question you can download the updated Fitbit app now.

Moto X
Nexus 4 and 5
Nexus 7 (2013)
DROID Razr M, HD, and Maxx HD
DROID Mini, Ultra, and Maxx (running Android 4.4 or later)