Google has officially announced the death of Fitbit branded smartwatches. Those who have used this device to count their steps, measure their heart rate, or help them stay on track with their fitness goals, this news is going to sting a bit. But don’t worry; the Fitbit legacy isn’t going away completely; it’s transitioning.
Pixel Watch 3
Let’s start with the new arrival on the scene: the Google Pixel Watch 3. As a part of its continued entry into the wearable technology market, Google has released this smartwatch together with its latest Pixel 9 series smartphones. As expected, it’s loaded with all the health and fitness related beauty due to the incorporation of Fitbit software. Yes, you read it right; the DNA of Fitbit is not dead and buried in thePixel Watch 3. But here’s the catch: this watch is much more the “Pixel” Watch than “Fitbit”.
What you get when you grab a Pixel Watch is a smartwatch that will be bearing Google’s imprint in every possible way. But it’s not as convenient as both of them must be installed on your phone, Pixel Watch and Fitbit. Your entire dear millions-and-millions-of-dollars worth of fitness information? It is still owned by Fitbit but expect that, in order to use it, you’ll need a Google account.
Where are the Fitbit Smartwatches? The last models of Fitbit’s smartwatches.
With the Pixel Watch 3 being all fresh and new, it is a different game for the Fitbit smartwatches that many of us have become familiar with. Google subtly informed everyone that the Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2, both released in 2022, would be the company’s last Versa smartwatch. You’re not wrong, which means that there will be no new Fitbit smartwatches in the real sense. Instead, Google is turning its focus to what they believe users want more: slim and unobtrusive personal monitoring devices.
Future Fitbit hardware will leverage bands to incorporate tracking, a fact revealed to us by Sandeep Waraich, the senior director of product management for Pixel Wearables. People appear to be requesting wearable devices that are comfortable to wear, have longer battery life, and function with little intervention. And that is exactly what the latest trackers by Fitbit including the Charge 6 and the Inspire 3 are all about.
What’s Next
Now, what does this have to do with your average Fitbit fanatic? Well, being a fan of the brand’s slim; lightweight trackers, there is some good news for you. Google, however, is sticking to the formula that helped Fitbit become popular in the first place: simple wrist-worn wearable devices that don’t really have any flair beyond their basic functionality. The Fitbit Charge 6, for example, is very much with us now and comes equipped with the GPS and Google Wallet features.
However, for those who want shopping for a smartwatch with the Fitbit brand name on it, this is as far as their search goes. Google’s decision to change its focus kills new Fitbit smartwatches. But hey, the Fitbit software isn’t gone completely, it is inside the Pixel Watch hidden so it can’t bring any happiness to people does it?
The Future of Fitbit
In the broader perspective of things, it feels like Google is slowly moving to integrate the Fitbit brand as a way to boost its Pixel Watches, gradually eradicating the standalone Fitbit smartwatch. While this merger might be seen as a somewhat sad conclusion for some, there are signs that Google envisions a much more extensive future for wearables.
