Google has made yet another big-ticket purchase by buying the fitness giant Fitbit. Google has just announced that it has bought Fitbit for $2.1 billion. It seems like the company wants to gain traction in the fitness segment as it did with the Pixel in the premium smartphone segment. Just yesterday a report by Reuters had claimed that Google was in talks to buy the fitness tracker company.

The deal encompasses terms that are similar to the Google-Nest deal. Fitbit has assured that it will take privacy for health and fitness data seriously and said: “Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google Ads.” Google’s acquisition doesn’t come as a surprise especially since the company has been working on the Wear OS platform. With the acquisition, the company might finally launch a fitness tracker with Made by Google tag.

Over the years, Google has made progress with partners in this space with Wear OS and Google Fit, but we see an opportunity to invest even more in Wear OS as well as introduce Made by Google wearable devices into the market. Fitbit has been a true pioneer in the industry and has created engaging products, experiences and a vibrant community of users. By working closely with Fitbit’s team of experts, and bringing together the best AI, software, and hardware, we can help spur innovation in wearables and build products to benefit even more people around the world.

Our Take

We are not sure how Google will handle the software part. Fitbit has its own operating system and baking in WearOS might not be a bright idea. However, it goes without a doubt that Google’s software prowess will come in handy while the acquisition will help improve the Google Fit apps. It is worth noting that Google had spent $40 million to buy technology from Fossil.

Does the Google-Fitbit acquisition raise concerns of privacy? Let us know in the comments below.