Google announces end of Fitbit-branded smartwatches fitness devices

Last week marked the debut of Google's Pixel Watch 3 smartwatch , launched alongside the new Pixel 9 series of smartphones. The latest watch is an upgrade from its predecessors, integrating Fitbit-branded health and fitness software into the wearable following Google's acquisition of Fitbit in 2021.

Google has strategically branded its watches with the Pixel name while incorporating Fitbit tracking features. Purchasing a Pixel Watch requires using both the Pixel Watch and Fitbit apps to manage everything from your phone, with all fitness data stored with Fitbit (which now requires a Google account for access).

Despite the merger of Google and Fitbit, Fitbit continues to launch its own branded smartwatches, most recently the Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 in 2022. These devices focus on GPS activity tracking and stress monitoring, offering more basic functions than the Pixel Watch and other high-end smartwatches, reports the Express .

However, they reward buyers with extended multi-day battery life and compatibility with iPhone or Android devices, all at a lower price point than the Pixel Watch.

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With the unveiling of the Pixel Watch 3, Google has subtly confirmed to tech site Engadget that the Versa 4 and Sense 2 will be the last Fitbit-branded smartwatches ever produced. When questioned about the possibility of another Fitbit smartwatch, Sandeep Waraich, senior director of product management for Pixel Wearables, stated: "Pixel Watch is our smartwatch part of the portfolio", and affirmed any potential future Fitbit hardware would be band-based trackers, not smartwatch designs.

"[T]rackers is where users clearly tell us they want something discreet," Waraich said. "They want longer battery life, they want a simple experience and we are very proud of our Inspire line."

The most recent Fitbit trackers are the Fitbit Charge 6 and the Inspire 3. They both feature slim vertical color displays and hark back to the thin trackers that catapulted Fitbit to fame around ten years ago.

Google continues to restrict access to certain health data, requiring a Fitbit Premium subscription costing £7.99 per month for deeper insights into activity and sleep patterns for Fitbit or Pixel Watch users. The tech giant recently announced that Premium subscribers would also gain access to fitness content from equipment manufacturer Peloton.

However, this move has sparked frustration among Fitbit enthusiasts who remember a time when all Fitbit data was freely accessible after purchasing the device. In addition, Google has discontinued popular app features such as leaderboards, which allowed users to compare their step counts with friends and family.

The diminishing presence of the Fitbit brand is a blow to tech competition. It's evident that Google is gradually phasing out the hardware division while retaining the valuable Fitbit brand for software on its own smartwatches.

This merger creates confusion for consumers, and it remains to be seen whether Google will continue to support devices like the Charge 6, Inspire 3, Versa 4, and Sense 2, which are all relatively new. The future support for older models is also uncertain.