The fitness tracker of choice for many is Fitbit, but with so much competition in that particular field, the company has been making a loss of late. Today Google have announced that they’ll be buying the company for £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion), with the transaction said to complete next year following the various bits of rubber-stamping from regulators.
The price is slightly more than Fitbit is worth, but it’s a worthy purchase for Google, who are keen to grow their wearable portfolio. It’s also a bit chunk of users – some 28 million Fitbit owners and the stacks of fitness data that goes along with it.
In a company announcement, Google were keen to point out that health and wellness data from Fitbit device won’t be sold on or used for Google ads, plus users will be given the chance to move or review the data too.
Over the years, Google has made progress with partners in (the wearable) space with Wear OS and Google Fit, but we see an opportunity to invest even more in Wear OS as well as introduce Made by Google wearable devices into the market. Fitbit has been a true pioneer in the industry and has created engaging products, experiences and a vibrant community of users. By working closely with Fitbit’s team of experts, and bringing together the best AI, software and hardware, we can help spur innovation in wearables and build products to benefit even more people around the world.
Google also tell us that they’re “committed to Wear OS and our ecosystem partners”, and that they plan to work “closely” with Fitbit to combine platforms.