Can I pay for Premium without Google Play?

[Edword]

Is there another way to pay for fitbit premium other than using google play with google play saving ones card and allowing purchases of other things it does not seem very secure to me as when I lend my phone to friends.  Unlike something like amazon that would just use to buy things and log out. I dont use it on my phone but friends have. I always keep google log in on my phone for chrome operating system and youtube. It seems a bad idea to use a payment system tied to operating system you tube and browser as these would typically be kept open when lending device. Is there another way to pay for premium other than google play.  Although it seems uncomepetive for fitbit to insist on google pay not an ideological thing happy to use amazon Microsoft and other companies. I just mention as I notice some people have an ideological thing with companies on here. I dont mind using any big company to pay just dont want to use google play as tied to browsers and youtube and like to leave them logged in all the time.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

[Edword]

I went to buy fitbit premium after getting my charge 33 days ago to replace my Huawei as Huawei has been restricted by government mandate and the health app is no longer in the store and the new Huawei phones don't have google. I have a Huawei phone and smart band but the phone wore out so had to change brands then could not down the app so had to change to a Fitbit.    The fitbit charge 6 costs another 100 over the Huawei and is far less reliable the strap falls off the sleep data often does not appear in the watch. Its lower quality product at a higher price. The sleep tracker does seem to be more accurate.  Because of the poor quality and problems with my charge 6 it was not until today decided to get premium. I realise I may need to glue the strap on as a known problem with charge 6 etc.

When I went to get premium before buying I checked the cancel process unless I dont like it and it said i need to cancel in the google app store so have not bought yet.  I have never given the google store my card number nor do i intend to. The issue is if someone else uses my phone I dont want my card in the google app store.  I have paid for things on other apps before with out sharing my card with google app store and that was on a Huawei phone with google operating system. Is there a way to buy fitbit premium with out the google app store having my card?  In my ignorance this all seems a bit odd google band Huawei app on government mandate from the store people go on about security but I never had any corners with my card data on using the Huawei. I never had to give the app store my card. If i give the app store my card and then someone borrows my phone could they not buy things in the app store? This feels less secure than the Huawei when I paid for things in apps the card data was not kept the google app store it was app specific so if as friend used my phone I had no worries about buying things. I think it is a bit cheeky and uncomepetive that fitbit try and push youtube premium but now the app store to buy premium. I would have hoped the EU would push back against this sort of business practice

[Edword]

When I clicked on youtube premium free trail today , It showed a friends name even though I was logged on to my youtube and google. I did not try and click through as not my name. But I do think this google play is no good as its not asking for a log on unlike third party things that ask for a password and even if it asked for the google password that is not good really as if using it on the operating. I realise fitbit uses the google log on which less than ideal for data sharing but Its more someone using card in error or such things that concern. I suppose there is the lost phone aspect also if lost my phone someone would not be that interested in my sleep data but they may buy things if my card was in google play.

[Rich_Laue]

Since Google owns Fitbit, you will be purchasing Premium from Google. 

As for the play store before anyone can purchase through the play app, they will need to know how to unlock your phone. 

Alternatively, you could register a virtual card. Privacy is one app that provides virtual cards. In the app, you control the card. You can turn on/off, set a limit, a specific company, set an expectation date, or make the card 1 time use 

[Edword]

Google insisting you pay for premium with google play may be an uncompetitive pratice.

I got my fitbit 35 days a ago Charge 6 . It has had a few issues the strap falls of the sleep does not always show in the watch and the battery only last 2 days with the screen on from 8 till 8 and GPS off.   I went to buy/free trail  premium 2 days ago I was very surprised that fitbit insist you use google play to pay.  This seemed odd I wonder would an independent company operating in an open market insist on this choice of payment method, would they rather decline business if you dont want to use google play. I am not sure they would I wondered if this may be an uncompetitive practice that should be possibly be reviewed.  Not wanting to use google play is not related to any ideology I knew fitbit is owened by google. I dont want to use google play to pay as I think its not very secure. I would never use it. The reason being is that I leave my google logged in all the time as have an android phone with youtube. So when I lend my phone to friends they may purchase something in error if I added a card. I dont think google play payment makes sense. 

Whoop does not appears to insist on using google play to pay. Did fitbit always insist on using google play to pay or was there an alterative payment method before google purchased it? It may be google is using fitbit to to try and push people to use its payment system as its get a commission from other purchases on that system. It may be considered an uncompetitive practice in this region. 

I wondered why the EU regulator has not pushed back against google. I live in the UK. I checked the UK regulator is currently investigating google play pay. https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/investigation-into-suspected-anti-competitive-conduct-by-google#:~:text....

May be he CMA should also review fitbits insistence on using google play for premium payments

[Edword]

Google insisting you pay for premium with google play may be an uncompetitive practice.

I got my fitbit 35 days a ago Charge 6 . It has had a few issues the strap falls of the sleep does not always show in the watch and the battery only last 2 days with the screen on from 8 till 8 and GPS off.   I went to buy/free trail  premium 2 days ago I was very surprised that fitbit insist you use google play to pay.  This seemed odd I wonder would an independent company operating in an open market insist on this choice of payment method, would they rather decline business if you don't want to use google play. I am not sure they would I wondered if this may be an uncompetitive practice that should be possibly be reviewed.  

Whoop does not appears to insist on using google play to pay. Did fitbit always insist on using google play to pay or was there an alterative payment method before google purchased it? It may be google is using fitbit in an uncompetitive manner to use googles suboptimal payment system that neither fitbit nor the customers would prefer in a free market a system that google gets a commission from other purchases on  It This may be considered an uncompetitive practice in some regions. 

I wondered why the EU regulator has not pushed back against google. I live in the UK. I checked the UK regulator is currently investigating google play pay. https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/investigation-into-suspected-anti-competitive-conduct-by-google#:~:text....

May be he CMA should also review fitbits insistence on using google play for premium payments. I would tend to think on balance if was Fitbit was independent they may also offer other options for people who chose not to use google play pay for its issues

[Triletics]

@Edword it's just payment system associated with Android. If you were using iOS you'd be buying subscription using Apple payment. It is a common practice for in-app purchases.