Did Google Ruin Fitbit? – Android Authority

I bought my first Fitbit almost a decade ago. At the time, you could argue that Fitbit was a trademarked eponym—a brand name that inadvertently became synonymous with similar products due to its success or popularity. Nothing could be further from the truth in 2024. The company’s decline began long before Google acquired it three years ago, but Fitbit diehards will argue that Mountain View’s influence is the reason for its ongoing decline. I’d argue it’s a bit more complicated than that.

When Fitbit was founded in the late 2000s, it was one of the few companies taking the fitness tracker space seriously as a growing segment of technology. Its initial products weren’t packed with features, but the brand built a loyal following by introducing heart-rate tracking technology at a time when few other consumer products were doing so. After growing success, Fitbit went public in 2015, making it one of the hottest IPOs of the year. But that initial heat quickly dissipated in the years to come amid lackluster sales, growing competition from Apple and others, and a series of problematic launches.

Understandably, when Google knocked on the door in late 2019, a wounded Fitbit was more than happy to listen. I’m sure many Fitbit users were too. The company was reeling; financial and development support from the tech giant would have been a huge boost. The deal closed in January 2021, ushering in the era of Google Fitbit.

In reality, Google hasn’t been the biggest custodian of the fitness brand. Its priority has been to implement Fitbit’s smarts into its own revamped health program, rather than to align itself with those already in the ecosystem. Since the company’s move to Mountain View in 2021, Fitbit users have seen a sea change to the platform. While Google has integrated Fitbit’s platform and technology into its Pixel Watch series, it has stripped away other aspects of the overall experience to align with its vision.

It killed off the popular Challenges, Adventures, Trophies, and Open Groups — gamification and social features that fans loved — and then rolled out a divisive app update a few months later with Google’s design language, tons of white space, and a layout that makes it a challenge to quickly glance at key metrics.

Despite loud and persistent outcry from users, Google’s changes didn’t stop there. In late 2023, Google announced it would pull Fitbit from over 30 markets, more than halving its regional availability to align the brand with Google’s official product presence. The move was probably Google’s most painful decision to date, at least for me. It stripped the Fitbit brand from regions like South Africa where it had been operating for decades.

More confusion came this month when the company shut down Fitbit’s web dashboard. It was the only other way users could view Fitbit stats, enter data, and control their devices outside of the app. Google’s forced closure and lack of a true web successor only further alienated longtime users and left no alternative for those who clearly relied on the interface. The requirement for Fitbit users to migrate to Google accounts is also fast approaching, forcing those with older Fitbit accounts to connect them to their Google profiles. Many users are reluctant to share their medical history with Google.

Sure, you could say that all of these problems are fixable. Google could always change the availability, tinker with the app, or let Fitbit accounts remain isolated. These problems are minor compared to the real problem: the waning appeal of Fitbit’s hardware. The devices released since Google’s acquisition make Fitbit’s place in Google’s wearable strategy more obvious.

As of 2021, Fitbit has had eight major device launches, including the Charge 5, Versa 4, and Sense 2. The former launched without a hitch, but the fitness tracker was plagued with software update issues that bricked many users’ devices. Fitbit acknowledged the issue by July 2023. A year later, the company has yet to deploy a fix.

In 2023, the flagship Fitbit Sense 2 and second-place Versa 4 were the first smartwatches to debut under Google’s wing; however, they were shadows of their predecessors. While the Sense 2 gained all-day stress monitoring and the Versa 4 a cleaner design, their support for third-party apps, smartphone media controls, and Google Assistant were removed from the devices to artificially distinguish the Pixel Watch as the flagship of the series.

With the Pixel Watch 2 set to launch in 2023 and no new Sense or Versa models since then, Google’s wearable strategy is pretty clear — Fitbit is no longer a serious hardware company. There’s a distinct lack of vision at the top end of Fitbit’s lineup. While the Charge series will likely continue, the future of the Sense and Versa lines looks bleak.

There’s no doubt that Fitbit has changed under Google’s leadership. But it’s worth noting that Fitbit has had some successes during that time, too.

Fitbit’s last major device, the Charge 6, is one of its best launches in years. Rather than strip away the features of the troublesome Charge 5, the company took its users’ concerns to heart, replacing the idiotic touch button with a physical one, updating the accuracy of its health tracking, and introducing Google apps that were previously limited to smartwatches. That launch gave us a glimmer of hope — proof that Fitbit, under Google’s rule, is still willing to evolve its core principles.

Since then, Google has also released the Ace LTE, not only Fitbit’s first connected smartwatch, but one that introduces a fun new approach to fitness tracking that would work great on adult devices, too. A Fitbit with a personality in 2024? Is it Really Fitbit from Google?

Since then, Google has made more of its apps available on the Sense 2 and Versa 4. Yes, it’s slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

To be a bit of a contrarian for a moment, the redesign of the Fitbit app is starting to appeal to me. It’s inferior to Samsung Health and Garmin Connect, but it’s faster, easier to use, and more pleasing to the eye. I wore the Sense 2 last week to prepare for this article, and when it comes to fit and comfort, I often forgot I was wearing it at all. I was stuck in bed with the flu, and the watch was telling me about the quality of my sleep, my resting heart rate, and my temperature spikes. As a Galaxy Watch user for the past few years, I missed those nuanced insights. Anecdotally, Fitbit offers more nuance in tracking and transcribing these metrics. It’s clear that Fitbit continues to excel in the key areas that once made me a fan.

We’re quick to judge Google, and who can blame us? The list of properties the company has created or acquired and then curated is long and gets longer every year. Naturally, Fitbit users are wondering if it’ll join that group anytime soon, and there’s evidence that Google would rather cut features than transform them. You can’t ignore the growing chorus of users on Reddit and other forums expressing their displeasure with Google’s influence over Fitbit. And yes, Google’s interest in Fitbit is more in line with its namesake products, shaping it into a platform for its smartwatches and neglecting the users it’s welcomed. Still, I don’t see it getting rid of Fitbit anytime soon.

Google continues to update Fitbit devices. This month, it rolled out updates to the Versa 4 and Sense 2, including redesigned heart rate tracking and GPS accuracy, support for YouTube Music controls, and other quality-of-life updates. Even the Inspire 3, the company’s most affordable tracker, has gotten some love. Google is also planning broader updates to the generative AI in the Fitbit app, giving users data-driven insights.

All of this suggests that Google is trying to keep Fitbit alive, but it’s clear that the brand, its existing users, and new Fitbit-branded hardware aren’t a priority. That’s understandable. Google’s Pixel Watch series has been a success, while Wear OS is stronger than ever. However, the more Google focuses on future Pixel Watch buyers, the more that approach will drive the users it inherited away from the platform it’s trying to build. Fitbit remains a popular brand with a ton of users around the world. Google risks alienating and losing the trust of those users in the long term for short-term gains with its Pixel Watch series. There aren’t many alternatives to Fitbit in the $100-$250 segment, and if Google stays frugal, it could cede that market to the likes of Garmin and Xiaomi.

So to answer my first question: No. Google hasn’t killed Fitbit, but it’s on the right track. Fitbit is the company that got me into wearables, but I’ll probably never buy another Fitbit. Judging by the Fitbit forums and other online communities, many users feel the same way.