Summary
erasing Fitbit’s.. Even though the Pixel Watch didn’t exist at the time, Google’s purchase of Fitbit was a huge step forward for the company’s wearables ambitions when it was finalized over three years ago. Even after releasing its first Pixel-branded wearable, the search giant failed to capitalize on this high-profile acquisition. The latest rebranding to Google Fitbit is only the beginning of Google’s ongoing internal reorganization to reposition Fitbit inside its broader product ecosystem.
A Google Fitbit clone, it’s on the rise
There is also no turning back now.
When it came to fitness trackers, Fitbit used to be the name to beat, even though the Apple Watch was becoming more popular. At the time of the acquisition announcement, it seemed as if Google would finally have a legitimate and profitable smartwatch operation. On the other hand, Google’s end has not altered much. Even though Fitbit’s knowledge and experience were available, the original Pixel Watch wasn’t a very good fitness tracker. This didn’t stop Fitbit from continuing to manufacture and sell its own devices and premium service.
Over the last year or two, however, Google has shifted gears and taken the wheel with a firmer finger than before. We hope this is the final rebranding of Fitbit, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than just changing the name to Google Fitbit.
Mass layoffs plagued the entire tech sector, including Google. James Park and Eric Friedman, co-founders of Fitbit, and a handful of additional workers brought on board during the purchase were among the many Google employees let go in a recent wave of layoffs. This was followed by an internal team reorganization at Google that brought together the hardware departments of Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit as one. This action clearly indicates that Google is assuming complete control of Fitbit and is now expressing its own vision.
So, how are things evolving for you?
Quite a bunch, in fact. The integration of Fitbit and Google accounts is perhaps the most noticeable change that you can see right now. Already, you may link your Fitbit data to your Google account and forget about it. Plus, Google is trying to get its customers to sign up for an account; for example, the Pixel Watch 2’s Fitbit capabilities need a Google account. All current Fitbit users will be required to upgrade by 2025, and new users are currently required to get a Google account.
consumers and Google both benefit from a unified account, however there are concerns about consumers’ privacy that arise from merging accounts. While it’s within Google‘s rights to utilize your data for ad serving, you probably wouldn’t want your private fitness records from years past used for that purpose.
In addition, Google is reducing Fitbit’s market share by leaving several major markets to accommodate the very restricted availability of Pixel hardware, which is itself reducing Fitbit’s market share. Users in the impacted areas will not have access to new items, and those who trusted Google’s brand when they purchased a Fitbit tracker would be disappointed, even if this decision makes financial sense for improved product distribution management.
Fortunately, not everything is dreadful. For an extra $10 per month, you can subscribe to Fitbit Premium and have access to services like fitness coaching and comprehensive stats. At least in the UK, Google has included Fitbit Premium (and even Nest Aware) into Google One’s 2TB plan, even though we don’t like its usability or the value it gives. That improves its value proposition significantly, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that Google’s own devices, such as the Pixel Watch 2, will have stronger Fitbit Premium integration.
Hold on, I’ve heard this all before
This sequence of events seems somewhat familiar, doesn’t it? Reason being, with Nest, Google is just doing what it always does. Despite Google’s massive $3.2 billion acquisition of Nest over a decade ago, the company’s account integration remains a disaster. Even though the Nest app is no longer supported, some of the newer Nest gadgets do need the Google Home app in order to work.
Everyone now knows that only Google could possibly pull this off. If Google decides to combine Fitbit with its own app, Fit, I really hope that the past doesn’t repeat itself.
Moving forward, things can seem different
Decrease in Fitbit use, gradually
Even though it’s a standalone device, the Pixel Watch still gets its fitness data via the Fitbit app. The decision by Google to depend on an existing, established platform rather than its own, which would have teething issues with fitness metric accuracy, may seem perplexing, but it really works out for the best. However, eventually, the level of integration must increase.
Having two distinct smartwatch lines is a hardware nightmare, particularly considering that Google already has its own smartwatch operating system. It is now quite evident that Google will manage Fitbit goods directly, thanks to its hardware department’s internal merger. As an affordable alternative to the Apple Watch SE, Fitbit Versa and Sense watches may possibly receive a Wear OS facelift or maybe disappear altogether. The Fitbit fitness bands, on the other hand, are great alternatives to bulky smartwatches for those just starting out, so I hope they stay around.
The latest update to the Fitbit wordmark to reflect the Google Sans typeface is evidence that Fitbit is now essentially a Google subsidiary rather than a company with its own identity apart from Google. Now that Pixel is the center of attention, Fitbit’s supporting role is becoming more apparent. That is the way it will turn out.
