Apple Watch Competition to Grow as Google Plans Its Own Wearables Following Fitbit Acquisition

[lazyrighteye]

"Fitbit health data will not be used for Google ads"
ha ha ha ha of course.

They're actually correct. Fitbit health data won't be used by Google because now it IS Google. There is no more Fitbit - or soon won't be. Any talk that there is/will be is little more than the typical early executive talking points intended to soften the blow of the inevitable layoffs of current Fitbit staff. After all, "acquisition" is just a fancy word for "layoffs."

I own and use nothing Google. Zero interest.
Thats said, I welcome this acquisition. As they say, competition is good. And if this helps keep Apple sharp(er), I'm all for it.

I fully expect Google wearables to be massively successful as they will be tied to the Google ecosystem on which so many are so entrenched.

 

[Analog Kid]

Maybe Google can move the Fitbit team into the old Motorola offices?

 

[Kabeyun]

I love my Fitbit. I'm not a huge fan of Google. I'll have to see what data they want from my Fitbit before I decide to upgrade or not.

When it comes to Google (and Facebook), what’s worrisome is what you don’t know they’re taking.

 

[mannyvel]

I think people whining about privacy are massively overestimating how much companies are interested in their private lives. The data collected is anonymous. No one will know what you as a person are up to. No one is snooping in on your personal lives.

While I agree that companies for the most part don't care about your personal info, I can tell you the data is not as anonymous as you would believe. For example, google and fitbit know where you live, where you go, when you go, who you hang out with, what you look at on the internet at any given time, who you pay, etc. With a bit more work they can join that against huge pools of data.

Right now the major use for that data in the US is for advertising. You can, however, use that data to figure out your race, or your medical conditions, your kids. You can tell your political leanings, what's important to you, your preferences, etc. With all that it becomes relatively easy to manipulate you into, say, voting for candidate A, B, or C.

In the US the authorities generally don't use this information for much. In other countries it would be simple enough to, say, target everyone who doesn't like a politician and kill them. Or even better, find the influencers and kill or neutralize them. That sort of network mining has been a well-known technique for years.

So in the US most people have nothing to worry about. In the rest of the world, well, all bets are off.

 

[jerryk]

I really like my Fitbit Versa. Does pretty much everything I need (fitness tracking, reminders, text notification, etc) and works with both iPhones and Android phones. Not as tightly integrated to the Apple ecosystem, but I don't carry an iPhone anymore, so much better than an Apple Watch for me.
[automerge]1572639821[/automerge]

While I agree that companies for the most part don't care about your personal info, I can tell you the data is not as anonymous as you would believe. For example, google and fitbit know where you live, where you go, when you go, who you hang out with, what you look at on the internet at any given time, who you pay, etc. With a bit more work they can join that against huge pools of data.

Right now the major use for that data in the US is for advertising. You can, however, use that data to figure out your race, or your medical conditions, your kids. You can tell your political leanings, what's important to you, your preferences, etc. With all that it becomes relatively easy to manipulate you into, say, voting for candidate A, B, or C.

If you are worried about manipulation on voting, you should never go to Facebook. Twitter refuses to carry polotical ads. Facebook is full of them and has stated it does not care if they are truthful. Bye bye Zuck.

 

[subi257]

You are so wrong.
WearOS works. I have two WearOs devices by LG.
Both has SIM capability before the AppleWatch was introduced with the ability.
Google had a wearable store up and running that did not need a phone before Apple introduced a store for their watch.
There have been ice builders for Android Wear and now WearOS for years.

I'd say now we have a real ballgame in the wearable space.

And where are all these devices now? no company has the market penetration in that game like Apple, I occasionally see a samsung gear watch....occasionally.

 

[44267547]

Someone still remembers pebble?

I do. And even though they were one of the first smart watches with E-ink technology, they failed to continue to market their product, which many had no idea who they were and their products weren’t primarily available in major retailers.

By the time Pebble started to to make alterations to the display technology, casing materials, etc, it’s it was too late, Apple was already in the game and buried them in a very short amount of time. Plus, Pebble had very limited funding and the CEO [Eric Migicovsky] was on borrowed time and money. Pebble had a bunch of compounded issues that they could never climb out of.

 

[subi257]

Fitbit was like the entry drug....after having one then a new one then they die and get a replacement, eventually I moved up to the heavy stuff...the Apple watch I have never and don't think of the Apple watch as a "watch", but more a extension of the iPhone's computing power.

 

[ddtmm]

Makes sense. Google's never really been good at hardware, so they need to buy startups rather than develop internally.

 

[44267547]

Fitbit was like the entry drug....after having one then a new one then they die and get a replacement, eventually I moved up to the heavy stuff...the Apple watch I have never and don't think of the Apple watch as a "watch", but more a extension of the iPhone's computing power.

Not anymore it’s not. The Apple Watch when in its inception in 2015, it was merely just an extension of the iPhone, but now that it’s independent with LTE, a whole slew of new health tracking features, it really is it’s own device now. It Matured very quickly in a short amount of time, and with micro LED likely on its way, native sleep tracking, it’s definitely not an extension anymore.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

"Fitbit health data will not be used for Google ads"
ha ha ha ha of course.

Exactly. This is probably the same reaction that the majority of consumers will have. And why even mention it — as in, why on earth would you even think that is ok? With Apple, this question wouldn’t even come up.

It will be difficult, if not impossible, for Google to shake the image they have (even Amazon or Facebook). Apple drew the line in the sand years ago — their customer isn’t their product.

Competition is great, but I don’t see anyone being a threat to Apple and the depth of their ecosystem.

 

[VulchR]

...
Google controls zero percent of the fitness tracker market. Exactly how is this acquisition an anti-trust issue?

Like Apple and Amazon, Google is getting its fingers in every pie. The issue isn't wearables but consumer products in general. Also, this basically leaves only 2 manufacturers in the running - who's going to try a startup against Apple and Google? Already we've some of the companies making devices like this. I guess we'll see if Google artifically lowers the prices of Fitbits so they can get their hands on our health data to sell to whomever.
[automerge]1572642581[/automerge]

Because of the nature of Google business, they are interested more than any other company in protecting your data. ...

They're interested in selling our data you mean. Our information is their true product.
[automerge]1572642932[/automerge]

The Fitbit doesn't do anything near the Apple Watch, so comparing battery lives is completely silly.

I do not need all the bells and whistles of the Apple Watch, which frankly I find gimmicky. Fitbit tells the time, tracks exercise, measures my heart rate and provides an alert when something comes in on the iPhone. I don't need a watch that makes a vodka martini. I'd happily switch to an Apple Device provided (1) it was well built and (2) had a longer battery life (and, shock, horror, a replaceable battery). However, Apple seems to be very stuck in its ways. I am still waiting for a version of the iPhone built to survive the outdoors, but Apple's too style-at-the-cost-of-function-oriented these days.

 

[Wanted797]

I have a feeling this move will boost Apple Watch sales from the people that do not want to own a Google Fitbit device.

Soon to be ‘google tracking device’.

 

[mannyvel]

If you are worried about manipulation on voting, you should never go to Facebook. Twitter refuses to carry polotical ads. Facebook is full of them and has stated it does not care if they are truthful. Bye bye Zuck.

Oh, I don't care about tracking per se, but I don't see the need to essentially buy into tracking. I actually think of myself on the other side ie: using data to manipulate the public

 

[manu chao]

The original iPod didn't fall apart in exactly the same way, every 6 months, every time.

The Beats X earphones do however [fall apart every couple of months].

 

[satchmo]

Didn’t happen with iPad. Even if it does, market share isn’t important when you have to give product away to get it.

You want the monopoly AND the profit, like Microsoft. Apple makes most of the profit in mobile, so screw the monopoly.

So basically what I said.

 

[JosephAW]

I'm still happily using my Samsung Galaxy Fit with my iPhone 7+.

 

[zendzero]

I hate Fitbit’s software (still very beta) and hardware (literally had to replace my Charge 3 this week, less than a year of use...and this is common issue in my 6+ years of this wearable), but love, love the battery life and sleep tracking with Fitbit. Please Apple, get a battery that lasts at least +24 hours and native sleep tracking, and I’m all in! PS: I’m all in all the other stuff already, only the AW remains...

 

[rp2011]

Fitbit desperately needed the cash influx and the software prowess the Google could provide to be able to try and compete with Apple.
Fitbit has the name recognition and market share that the Google Wear brand does not have. I think it’s a great combination that is stronger together.
I love my Apple Watch but competition is always good for everyone in the long run.

 

[Kabeyun]

Fitbit desperately needed the cash influx and the software prowess the Google could provide to be able to try and compete with Apple.
Fitbit has the name recognition and market share that the Google Wear brand does not have. I think it’s a great combination that is stronger together.
I love my Apple Watch but competition is always good for everyone in the long run.

So you believe there will still be a nominal Fitbit, like Apple did with Beats? Personally I believe that the price Fitbit will pay for that cash and software prowess is that there will be no more Fitbit.

 

[StuBeck]

I love my Fitbit. I'm not a huge fan of Google. I'll have to see what data they want from my Fitbit before I decide to upgrade or not.

Don't upgrade until its clear what they're doing. I loved my Nest setup and now they're trying to datamine everything I do and where I go. I didn't sign up for this and when I move, will be switching to Ecobee.

 

[LordVic]

And where are all these devices now? no company has the market penetration in that game like Apple, I occasionally see a samsung gear watch....occasionally.

I have a gear!

But honestly, the Smartwatch segment is really only two companies.

1. Apple selling a full featured watch
2. Fitbit selling fitness trackers with some smart watch features

Nobody else is really pushing, or even trying anymore in this game. I love my gear watch for it's looks, and notifications on my wrist, But Samsung hasn't really even done much with it's featureset / functionalities in years. And the App selection is pathetically sparse.

 

[Alan Wynn]

I hate Fitbit’s software (still very beta) and hardware (literally had to replace my Charge 3 this week, less than a year of use...and this is common issue in my 6+ years of this wearable), but love, love the battery life and sleep tracking with Fitbit.

From what I can tell, sleep tracking on a Fitbit is not all that accurate. AutoSleep++ is probably about as good (I use it, but do not really rely on it).

Please Apple, get a battery that lasts at least +24 hours and native sleep tracking, and I’m all in! PS: I’m all in all the other stuff already, only the AW remains...

Pretty much every review and multiple people on here have said that they routinely get well more than 24 hours with their AppleWatches, so if that is what is holding you back, jump now.

 

[kis]

Been wearing either an LG Urbane 2 or an LG Watch Sport for years.
The Sport has much better battery life. It runs about 2 days before needing a charge.
Notifications are fine along with Google Fit.
I guess it depends on which watch you own.
No ads show up on my watch, unless it's Amazon and I like Amazon. 😁

Over the last few years I had:

- LG Watch Urbane 2 (sold because of abysmal battery life)
- Skagen Falster 2 (sold because of abysmal battery life and glacial performance)
- Fossil Sport (sold because auf watch no 4 and abysmal battery life)
- Montblanc Summit 2 (my current watch, was a gift of my employer). The latter has decent performance but the battery still dies at 4 pm every day without fail, same as the Fossil Sport. Can’t sell that one but I wouldn’t want that as my 24/7 watch. I leave it at work when I head home in the evening.

 

[DocPenguin]

Game over Fitbit. I deleted my account, and now need to get rid of my Charge and Aria.