It’s been three years since Google completed its acquisition of Fitbit. Since then, the company has launched three new smartwatches under the Pixel brand, including the Pixel Watch 3 at today’s Made By Google event. Meanwhile, Fitbit’s not launched a single new smartwatch since the unceremonious announcement of the Sense 2 and Versa 4 two years ago. The writing has been on the wall for years that Fitbit might not make smartwatches anymore, instead focusing on lower-profile activity trackers that last long. Engadget can confirm that this is indeed true moving forward.
In an interview with the senior director of product management for Pixel Wearables Sandeep Waraich, I asked whether we would ever see another Fitbit-branded smartwatch anytime soon. Waraich said “Pixel Watch is our smartwatch part of the portfolio.” He confirmed that moving forward everything from Fitbit would focus on the more minimalistic, long-lasting trackers the brand has become synonymous with.
While the Sense 2 and Versa 4 will continue to be available in the market, a Google spokesperson said “Pixel Watches are our next iteration of smartwatch for Fitbit.”
As for the devices Fitbit continues to make, “trackers 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.”
Waraich also shed some light on how the Google and Fitbit teams have collaborated to build Pixel watches, referencing the former’s AI prowess and the latter’s established expertise in interpreting heart-rate sensor data for greater insights. According to him, Google brought its expertise in machine learning, providing “advanced models that otherwise probably externally weren’t readily available.” Fitbit, of course, had deep knowledge on things like data and signal capture and how that translated into how your hands are moving or what you’re doing. “HIIT has a very different heart rate algorithm [and] implications than a running workout,” Waraich explained.
There’s little doubt that the Fitbit brand remains valuable to Google and the industry at large, given the fact its name is basically the catch-all noun for activity trackers. While it can be jarring to see the Fitbit name and app in devices like the Pixel Watch, where integrations should feel more seamless and unified, Waraich told me “it’s not an app in Pixel Watch. It’s deeply integrated at a system level.”
Outside of the Pixel portfolio, the Fitbit app and Fitbit Premium both still exist to the large chunk of the population that want something simple that can help them stay on top of their overall health. With the trackers and Pixel watches having now matured into devices that can log your activity very well, Waraich said “There is a tremendous opportunity in terms of going from tracking to coaching, real-time guidance included.”
Time for everyone’s favorite buzzword and trend for 2024: AI. With the Pixel Watch 3, Fitbit Premium users can get AI-generated customized workouts based on their activity and recovery. Of all the features Fitbit Premium has offered (and paywalled) in the past, this feels like a more-suitable use of AI and charging for it. Fitbit and Fitbit Premium are unlikely to be going away, and while we may not see a Fitbit-branded smartwatch again, this feels like a smart move.
Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel Watch 3 launch event right here!