The rumors have come true. Google is officially acquiring Fitbit, the popular maker of fitness bands and smartwatches.
In a blog post, Google announced that it is acquiring Fitbit. The acquisition represents a big leap for the Mountain View company which has been struggling with their own WearOS platform.
Fitbit has built a reputation for building good fitness trackers and smartwatches over the years, so this acquisition might be a saving grace for Google’s ambition on smart wearables. Plus, Google is sitting on a goldmine of health data since Fitbit’s popularity over the years meant that more people have entrusted their data to Fitbit.
The blog post also lays bare the company’s plan after the acquisition. The company will invest more in its WearOS platform, though it is unclear what would happen with Fitbit’s software and services. However, one could speculate that Google might marry their WearOS platform and their Assistant with Fitbit wearables.
Of course, concerns about privacy and security have been raised with the acquisition. In the blog post, Google affirmed its promise to never sell personal data to any third-party company. It also promised to never use data for ad personalization. However, some people remain wary since the company’s revenue mostly depends on ad personalization and selling personal data.
Nonetheless, Fitbit’s acquisition represents a major turning point for Google’s wearables ambition. Time will tell if the Mountain View company does so, especially with Xiaomi and Apple dominating the market.
(Photo source: https://investor.fitbit.com / https://www.google.com)
