Fitbit Reportedly Close to Acquiring Pebble

[LimerickRunner]

just like smart phones - "smart" watches will hit a saturation point.

it's unfortunately not a product that is necessary perhaps more of a distraction.

That said if you're serious about fitness you go to garmin.

if you're a casual walker/runner then there is everything else.

I don't agree with you, I am serious about fitness and have both a Garmin and Apple watch 2, I love the apple watch and wear it running my easy days, its brilliant to have music on the run, the apple watch 2 in my opinion is a product I would miss if I didn't have it anymore as I find I use it a lot throughout the day for setting timers, messages etc..

Garmin are good for track workouts etc, but sometimes when Im on a recovery day they drop my vO2 max estimate cause im tired, this is where the apple watch comes in great.

 

[twinlight]

Garmin are good for track workouts etc, but sometimes when Im on a recovery day they drop my vO2 max estimate cause im tired, this is where the apple watch comes in great.

You change to AW sp you don't get the wrong calculation or so you don't have to see bad values? I'm have not fully understood vo2 max but it's something Apple should include in a future update.

 

[OneTokenRing...]

Interesting information in an article on venture beat.

"Pebble also had been the target of at least two acquisitions. Citizen was interested in purchasing the company for $740 million in the summer of 2015, but efforts were rebuffed by Pebble chief executive Eric Migicovsky. He also blocked another potential deal, this time a $70 million purchase by Intel earlier this year if Pebble delayed launching the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2. So the fact that the price tag has gone down substantially is telling."

http://venturebeat.com/2016/11/30/fitbit-is-buying-pebble-for-34-40-million/

If true the lost $700 million dollars of valuation in one year and by half again in just the last few months.

 

[44267547]

Pebble was no doubt first, but they quickly hit a wall technology-wise. There's only so much you can do with a watch focused on delivering notifications, when you lack the resources and engineering talent of Apple, Samsung or Google.

I like my pebble watch. The display is easy to read and it has excellent battery life and pebble was kind enough to ship me a free replacement when my first Watch developed screen problems. But the day it stops working is the day I spring for an Apple Watch of my own.

Agreed. Pebble likely lacks the resources to further innovate with research and development. However, their Watches excelled in battery life and executing notifications. But Pebble can't match the premium materials and current technology adopted by the Apple Watch. And when Apple debuted their proprietary Smart Watch, this only pushed Pebble out further away from
Being relevant.

Like you stated, you have already made the conscious decision to migrate to the Apple Watch when you are ready, which is what ultimately is hurting Pebble for those who are considering wearable technology.

 

[djcerla]

Thank you for the laugh, Mr. "World Class Art Piece". Yes, I'm sure people will be lining up to see that black, glass square just like they do for 80's LED digital watches. The Apple Watch is what, 18-20 months old? Is that really a good test of its design's timelessness?

Yes, despite my giving you a hard time, now that they have GPS I will probably eventually replace my Garmin with one, but let's not kid ourselves about what it is - a disposable, mass-produced, cribbed from an iPhone watch with terrible battery life.

This exact attitude is what led to Pebble's demise.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

just like smart phones - "smart" watches will hit a saturation point.

it's unfortunately not a product that is necessary perhaps more of a distraction.

I disagree with your assessment as distraction. Everything reaches that saturation point because: physics. But it's not as if fitness and health won't be increasingly more important in the future. I can imagine a future where watches are so great and do so much that a percentage of people chose to no longer carry a traditional phone around always. Think: advanced voice, holographic features, payment, security, sign-in, diabetics and other health issues such as heart conditions and blood pressure and on and on.

 

[MichaelQ]

Hello bad money? Here's some good money to keep you company.

 

[44267547]

I'm sure a lot of people will be very disappointed by this. Pebble has/had a very loyal user group.

I can appreciate this post, Because Pebble has had a loyal following. The issue is, it's been a very small Loyal user group. Which wasn't enough in terms of expanding and reaching out to other masses. Considering the millions of dollars of marketing invested by Apple into the Apple Watch. I cannot recall a single time ever seeing Pebble advertise, which some may not even know they exist, aside from word of Mouth. Long term, this hurts Pebble. Albeit, Pebble evidently does not have the monetary means to support advertising and marketing as Apple does, or Fitbit for that matter.

If Pebble wanted to survive remotely, they potentially could have marketed their products more. Although, I still don't believe it's enough for them to survive the position they are in currently.

 

[honglong1976]

I can appreciate this post, Because Pebble has had a loyal following. The issue is, it's been a very small Loyal user group. Which wasn't enough in terms of expanding and reaching out to other masses. Considering the millions of dollars of marketing invested by Apple into the Apple Watch. I cannot recall a single time ever seeing Pebble advertise, which some may not even know they exist, aside from word of Mouth. Long term, this hurts Pebble. Albeit, Pebble evidently does not have the monetary means to support advertising and marketing as Apple does, or Fitbit for that matter.

If Pebble wanted to survive remotely, they potentially could have marketed their products more. Although, I still don't believe it's enough for them to survive the position they are in currently.

Having owned a Pebble time steel and Fitbit Blaze. It's clear Pebble make a great smart watch with a rubbish fitness solution. Fitbit make a great fitness watch with a rubbish smart watch solution.

Together it's going to be awesome!

Great news! combine a smart watch using Pebbles tech and fitness using Fitbit's tech and you have a pretty awesome smart/fitness watch.

Next Fitbit will have always on screen, 7 day battery, awesome fitness, smartwatch features and apps like Pebble! Whats not to like :0

 

[addictive]

I think if Pebble and Fitbit are able to combine what works best from both their products and release a new device in 2017 then it forces Apple to come back with an even better Apple Watch. The thing Apple needs is competition.

All companies do best when they have a competitor which challenges them. This is why I generally loathe merger and acquisition businesses because many of them are unnecessary and the only people benefiting from them are the investment bankers who gets fees and bonuses and share holders.

I want Apple to be challenged in the smart watch sector this would be a huge reason for us the consumers getting an improved product in version 3/4/5 of the Apple Watch.

 

[341328]

My pebble original had issues then 12 months later screen issues on the replacement. I upgraded to Apple Watch series 2. Loving it. But Apple is mean for blocking key features from working on the Pebble. But that's apple's strategy, in the same way it now blocks Spotify from using Siri.

 

[rp2011]

Techcrunch is reporting that Fitbit paid $40 million for Pebble. That's an acquihire because VC investment into Pebble was around that number so no one really made any money from it.

RIP Pebble.

PS: Fitbit will be in trouble next year as well. All this space is being commoditized quickly.

No the word is not commoditized, because both Pebble and Fitbit are the cheapest brands on the market already. It's actually going upscale. It's being eaten up by the pricier but far nicer Apple Watch, and to some extent Android Wear. But commoditization is certainly not what is happening. Not yet anyway.
It's just that both products did not have the resources to compete with Apple and their Watch.
It's sad to see. But that's the way capitalism works, supply and demand and having the capital to keep it going and to compete with your competitors. No one is supprised at this as me and everyone else said this would happen this year as Apple would lower the price on their old model as their new one was released. There was no value for customers to choose either of the two when faced with the other choices on the market. Far better product for not too much more.

Electronic wearables are a nascent category, and someone could come up and leapfrog Apple, but while Apple has the resources and momentum I don't know who or when that could be. Google or a seemingly resurgent Microsoft perhaps, but everyone knew Pebble and Fitbit were not long for this world.

 

[maflynn]

I'm not sure what fitbit will gain by this purchase. They are the current market leaders, have a great product and brand recognition.

I think of pebble, as something that niche and that only small group of tech enthusiasts are aware of.

 

[rp2011]

This exact attitude is what led to Pebble's demise.

Exactly.
But it wasn't Pebbles fault. They really deserve credit for doing what they did on a shoestring budget. It was a fun watch but definitely fun as in kitschy, but kitschy out of budgetary constraints. Let's remember that they were a kickstarter campaign.
Again major props to them for what they were able to achieve. They have certainly made a bigger impact than bigger and better financed companies like Samsung or Google have so far in this nascent category they helped create.

 

[62tele]

Lots of interesting comments. I surprised anyone cares.
I was initially excited about my Apple Watch but it turned out to be just a novelty for me. It sits in it's box and it's doubtful it ever sees any further use.
While Apple still seems to be clubbing other vendors of full featured smartwatches, it's not like sales are growing.

 

[rp2011]

I'm not sure what fitbit will gain by this purchase. They are the current market leaders, have a great product and brand recognition.

I think of pebble, as something that niche and that only small group of tech enthusiasts are aware of.

What Fitbit is probably hoping to get is a better asking price in an acquisition itself, if it can manage to gain any footing in this market.
In time the wearables market is going to mature, and if you have enough of the basic patents, it makes them more valuable in an acquisition down the road by someone with deeper pockets.

 

[Abazigal]

I'm not sure what fitbit will gain by this purchase. They are the current market leaders, have a great product and brand recognition.

I think of pebble, as something that niche and that only small group of tech enthusiasts are aware of.

I view Fitbit the same way I view Gopro. There are only so many consumers interested in fitness tracking, the market for them is becoming increasingly saturated, and Fitbit needs to find new markets to expand into. Smartwatches seems like the next logical avenue, because I am guessing the two share largely similar tech.

And based on feedback from my friends who use them, Fitbit trackers have quite dubious build quality, with them rarely lasting past a year. I suppose it's fine as a throwaway wearable you spend $100 a year on, but the Apple Watch is way superior to the fitbit in terms of fit and finish.

 

[rp2011]

Lots of interesting comments. I surprised anyone cares.
I was initially excited about my Apple Watch but it turned out to be just a novelty for me. It sits in it's box and it's doubtful it ever sees any further use.
While Apple still seems to be clubbing other vendors of full featured smartwatches, it's not like sales are growing.

You're right in what the Apple Watch is today, but the possibilities are endless and the growth potential tremendous. It's all about the state of technology and how they can cram more into it. Science, physics and R&D money is what it's going to take to take it further. And of those things, Apple has the R&D money along with a brand and chain of stores, ...and Pebble didn't.

 

[Tech198]

Perhaps this means Fitbit will become a smart watch companiy in addition since u now have bands available. ? Sea-change....

Firness tracking is one thing, but there could be so much more.

 

[thatanonymoususer]

The transition to a post-Apple-watch market reminds me a lot of Palm during the early iPhone days. They seemed mostly unconcerned about the new exciting platform, played catch-up way too late, and then eventually sold off to HP where a sex scandal (doctoring the books to cover up a relationship) by Mark Hurd caused the whole division to be ignored and then later die off when his replacement didn't care about the platform.

 

[thewolfro]

Fitbit won't last as they don't listen to their customers.

Like apple does... ?
I am proud owner of Fitbit Blaze and my wife got Charge2. We are both very happy with our watches. I am kind of glad that Fitbit will acquire Pebble and i hope that their products will get better.

Honestly all i need from my watch is to show me the time, monitor my activity and i don't need yet another gadget that needs charging every single day. Fitbit does just that nothing more nothing less.

 

[MrJM]

This is a really shame. I loved my pebble and the whole week battery is amazing. I still use my old one as a backup if I don't want to wear my Apple Watch.

I always thought the apps were a bit pointless though, given the limitations of the e-ink display and 3 button input.

Also, who can forget the DOMO watch face, simply the greatest thing ever!

 

[spazzcat]

They are/were way too slow with health features. More people buy wearables for fitness and less for smart features.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

I did like them but the writing was on the wall.

 

[jonnysods]

Wow, that would make Pebble feel at ease! Get out while the going is 'okay'