Google’s acquisition of fitness-tracking firm Fitbit appeared like a giant transfer on the time, however 4 years later, the way forward for Fitbit appears to be like unsure. Not too long ago, Google has discontinued Fitbit merchandise in lots of international locations, and regardless of promising to make health “extra accessible to extra folks,” Google has solely launched one new Fitbit-branded product in 2023.
Neither of those choices displays positively on the corporate, which has a historical past of discontinuing once-popular merchandise, typically on what looks like a whim.
Fitbits are disappearing from a number of international locations
As famous on Google’s assist web site (first noticed by Android Authority), Fitbit merchandise are not being offered in 11 international locations within the EU, together with Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia. The merchandise have additionally been pulled from 5 places within the Asia-Pacific area: Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. In accordance with Tech Central, Fitbit merchandise are additionally being pulled in South Africa.
And it doesn’t cease there. As noticed by 9to5Google, a separate assist web page from Google signifies that Fitbit merchandise are not being offered in Mexico or some other markets in Latin America. That features Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Fitbits have been beforehand being offered in all of those international locations, however they’ve since vanished from skinny air.
Google didn’t give a reassuring purpose for this huge removing of Fitbit merchandise; as an alternative, it informed Tech Central that this was achieved to “align our {hardware} portfolio to map nearer to Pixel’s regional availability.” Google says it would proceed to offer software program releases, safety updates, guarantee achievement, and customer support for present Fitbit merchandise in these areas.
Moreover, Google offered one other assertion to Android Authority on November 9, saying:
“We communicated that we are going to cease promoting Fitbit merchandise in choose international locations in an effort to align our {hardware} portfolio to map nearer to Pixel’s regional availability. We stay dedicated to our prospects and haven’t made any adjustments that influence the prevailing Fitbit gadgets they already personal. Present Fitbit prospects will proceed to have entry to the identical buyer assist, warranties will nonetheless be honored, and merchandise will proceed to obtain software program and safety updates.”
2023 has been a quiet one for Fitbit
In the meantime, as 2023 is nearing its finish, just one new Fitbit wearable has launched this 12 months — the Fitbit Cost 6. Curiously, it’s virtually equivalent to Cost 5.
To attract a comparability, in 2022, Google launched three new Fitbit merchandise: the Encourage 3, Versa 4, and Sense 2. A 12 months earlier, it launched the Fitbit Luxe and Cost 5.
Trying past Google’s statements, what else may very well be the rationale for this shift in Fitbit’s technique? Whereas poor gross sales may very well be probably the most logical purpose, the truth that Google solely launched one new Fitbit product this 12 months suggests one thing else may very well be at play. It’s potential that Google’s long-term health product plans might not embody the Fitbit identify, or the corporate might have determined to focus solely on sure areas worldwide.
On the intense aspect, the absence of latest merchandise from Google this 12 months may additionally point out that the corporate is gearing as much as launch many new choices within the coming years, probably beginning in 2024 and past.
Fortunately for customers, loads of terrific wearable health merchandise, together with health trackers and smartwatches from numerous firms, are in the marketplace. Time will inform whether or not the Fitbit identify stays.
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