Google’s Fading Fitbit Future
Fitbit's future A bleak outlook | ENBLE
Fitbit’s future is not looking good.
Image: Andy Zahn / ENBLE
Google’s acquisition of fitness-tracking juggernaut Fitbit was once seen as a bold move, but now, four years later, the future of Fitbit appears as uncertain as remembering whether you turned off the stove before leaving the house. In recent times, Google has made the bold move of discontinuing Fitbit products in numerous countries, leaving fans feeling as disappointed as a blockbuster movie sequel that fails to live up to the hype. Despite promising to make fitness “more accessible to more people,” Google has only released one new Fitbit-branded product in the year 2023. Talk about leaving fans hanging like a spider on a single thread.
Google’s Disappearing Act
Neither of these decisions reflects positively on the company, which has a history of discontinuing once-popular products faster than a toddler loses interest in their toys. It’s almost as if Google’s commitment to its hardware portfolio changes as often as the weather in a tropical rainforest.
According to Google’s support website, spotted by the tech sleuths at Android Authority, Fitbit products are no longer being sold in 11 countries in the EU. It’s like Fitbit suddenly vanished from Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia, leaving a fitness-shaped hole in the hearts and wrists of potential customers.
But wait, there’s more. If that isn’t enough to make you gasp louder than a horror movie audience during the climactic scene, a separate support page from Google indicates that Fitbit products are also no longer available in Mexico or any other markets in Latin America. That’s right, Fitbit has disappeared from Agentina, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Peurto Rico, and Venezula. It’s a vanishing act that would make Houdini proud.
Image: Joe Maring / ENBLE
Lackluster Launches
And the disappointment doesn’t stop there. As spotted by the keen-eyed detectives at 9to5Google, Fitbit’s absence now extends to other countries in Latin America, like Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and more. It’s a situation that has left fans feeling more puzzled than deciphering a complex riddle.
When asked about this mass exile of Fitbit products, Google’s response was about as reassuring as realizing you left your phone in the backseat of a taxi. Instead of offering a concrete reason, Google ambiguously stated that this was done to “align our hardware portfolio to map closer to Pixel’s regional availability.” That’s like saying you gave your favorite toy to your sibling because it goes better with their room decor. It leaves us wondering what the future holds for the Fitbit brand.
Meanwhile, as 2023 twirls its cape and prepares to vanish into thin air, only one new Fitbit wearable has graced the stage this year – the Fitbit Charge 6. Interestingly enough, it’s almost identical to its predecessor, the Charge 5. That’s like releasing a movie sequel that’s essentially a scene-by-scene rehash of its predecessor. Talk about déjà vu.
Let’s put things into perspective. In the year 2022, Google launched three new Fitbit products: the Inspirational Inspire 3, the revolutionary Versa 4, and the enlightening Sense 2. And the year prior, they introduced the exquisite Fitbit Luxe and the transformative Charge 5. It seems as though Google’s creative pipeline has run dryer than a desert in the scorching sun – where’s the innovation gone?
Image: John Velasco / ENBLE
A Twist in the Plot
Looking beyond Google’s vague statement, what could possibly explain this sudden shift in Fitbit’s strategy? While poor sales might be the most logical explanation, the fact that Google has only released one new Fitbit product this year suggests that something else is brewing in the technological cauldron. Perhaps Google’s long-term fitness plans don’t include the Fitbit name, or maybe they have decided to focus on specific regions around the globe, leaving us all feeling a little left out, like a forgotten sock in the laundry hamper.
But let’s not lose hope just yet. The absence of new products from Google this year could be a sign that they are eagerly preparing a treasure chest of innovative offerings for the years to come, bringing joy to fans faster than an ice cream truck on a hot summer day. Maybe 2024 will be the year of the Fitbit Renaissance, where new and exciting models flood the market like an army of fitness enthusiasts in neon spandex.
Luckily for consumers, numerous outstanding wearable fitness products, ranging from fantastic fitness trackers to brilliant smartwatches, are still available from various companies. So, even though the Fitbit name may be disappearing like a puff of smoke, the world of wearable technology remains vibrant and full of possibilities.
Tell us, dear reader, what are your thoughts on these Fitbit developments? Are you losing faith or eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Fitbit’s journey? Share your opinions, rants, or wild conspiracy theories in the comments below. We’re listening, and we love a good tech chat.
