What it’s worthwhile to know
- Though Google accomplished its acquisition of Fitbit in 2021, the wearable model has largely remained unbiased up till very not too long ago.Â
- Final week, the corporate shut down the standalone Fitbit.com store, as a substitute directing prospects to finish purchases on the Google Retailer transferring ahead.Â
- It is one of many closing nails within the coffin for Fitbit, which is now taking the backseat at Google after as soon as being a dominant firm within the wearable area.Â
Since lastly finishing the Fitbit acquisition a number of years in the past, Google has steadily built-in the model’s merchandise, companies, and underlying tech into its portfolio. The Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 each clearly take notes from Fitbit’s design and expertise, with curved edges and a minimalist kind issue, for instance. Fitbit has borrowed issues from Google, too, resembling its Materials You design language. Nonetheless, up till very not too long ago, Fitbit has maintained a reasonably excessive stage of independence from Google.Â
That run appears to be formally over, following a number of large modifications this month. In early April, Google overhauled the Fitbit app to make it extra in step with Materials You, particularly within the Sleep pages. The overwhelming majority of Fitbit customers did not just like the transfer, as evidenced by many social media posts and even a number of emails I obtained immediately from customers.Â
Now, Google has determined to close down the Fitbit.com store, with 9to5Google first recognizing the change over the weekend. In the event you attempt to buy a Fitbit gadget from the native Fitbit web site, you will be redirected to the Google Retailer to finish your buy. “Fitbit is now a part of Google, so your checkout and buy can be accomplished on Google Retailer,” a banner explains.Â
This transfer is not precisely shocking as a result of Google has been additional integrating Fitbit into the corporate all through 2024. First, it mixed the Fitbit and Google Assist Facilities in January. Then, in March, Google added extra wearables and straps to the Google Retailer. At that time, the writing was on the wall. Fitbit’s time as a standalone model was operating out.
Whereas it is simple to criticize Google for making modifications to Fitbit, it is also straightforward to see that the model, or not less than its {hardware}, is taking a backseat in Google’s wearable technique. Individuals simply aren’t shopping for Fitbits—and good bands typically—like they used to. It is sensible that Fitbit’s future will stay on by Google merchandise, and we will look to a different large tech acquisition to foretell what that future may seem like.
Persons are more and more turning to smartwatches over good bands
Market habits are altering, and that is partly why Fitbit would not survive if it tried to maintain the established order. Again within the early days of wearables, folks had been all-in on tiny and sporty good bands. Now, shoppers desire smartwatches to supply extra info and utility on their wrists. Even minimalist consumers now have good rings as a extra interesting different to the standard good bands. I’ve seen this in my very own shopping for habits, too. My first wearable was a Fitbit Cost HR, and now I put on a large Apple Watch Extremely on my wrist in 2024.
The numbers again up these anecdotes as effectively. Within the fourth quarter of 2022, a Canalys report discovered that the good band market skilled its first double-digit decline in a This fall ever. The drop was 18%, and that is very uncommon for a This fall that often sees nice gross sales figures as a result of vacation season. Whereas the market rebounded barely in 2023, in line with a more recent report, good bands are nonetheless shedding out to smartwatches. By the second quarter of 2023, the market share for fundamental bands was lower than that of fundamental watches and smartwatches.
Moreover, an IDC evaluation from March 24 lists good wrist bands as the one wearable class projected to say no in gross sales year-over-year. Smartwatches, earwear, glasses, and rings all have constructive outlooks.
Fitbit has made smartwatches, however they have not been excellent in comparison with one of the best smartwatches, resembling these by the likes of Samsung, Garmin, and Apple. With Google now making its personal smartwatches utilizing Fitbit tech, Fitbit’s major merchandise are good bands — which shoppers appear to be turning away from. Google’s current choices counsel that Fitbit seems to be much less of a precedence than a few of its different {hardware} choices, and that is sensible if you take a look at the state of the wearable band market.
We have seen this type of main acquisition earlier than
So, what does the way forward for Fitbit seem like? Though the model is unlikely to be the highest-priority {hardware} division at Google — that may belong to the Pixel household of units — it is not essentially a full shutdown, both. To get an concept of what the way forward for Fitbit at Google holds, we will study how Apple dealt with its acquisition of Beats roughly a decade in the past.
Apple acquired Beats, partially, for its software program. The streaming service Beats Music was the muse for Apple Music. There is a parallel right here to what’s taking place with Google and Fitbit since Fitbit’s software program continues to be very a lot alive and is used to energy health and well being options on Pixel Watches. Finally, Apple shut down the Beats on-line retailer, as a substitute redirecting consumers to Apple’s on-line retailer. The corporate launched AirPods and its personal earbuds and headphones lineup, seemingly changing Beats.Â
And but, Beats continues to be round eight years after Apple launched the first-generation AirPods. Certain, the model is not as dominant and ubiquitous because it as soon as was, however there are nonetheless new Beats headphones and earbuds being launched at present. I count on Google will observe an analogous technique to Fitbit. We cannot see Fitbit ever be the highest wearable model once more, however we’ll see Fitbit tech energy Pixel merchandise in addition to extra delicate Fitbit wearable releases.Â
In different phrases, Fitbit is now utterly built-in into Google, and that has and can proceed to carry main modifications. That is partly as a result of shoppers aren’t as fascinated with Fitbit’s choices as they had been up to now and partly as a result of Google has its personal priorities. However Fitbit is not going anyplace and can doubtless stay on as a small a part of Google for a very long time.
