Google and Fitbit

[SunsetRunner]

This is not a suggestion to the product line of Fitbit, but instead a STRONG suggestion NOT to allow this to go through:

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/28/google-may-acquire-fitbit/

I don't trust Google's (lack of) privacy policy, and I question continued support of my phone platform of choice (Apple iPhone) if Google were to purchase Google.

Just my two cents' worth.

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity

[SunsetRunner]

I saw on MSN this morning that Google may be looking to buy FitBit.

Please do not sell this company to Google. I love FitBit products, but I doubt I am the only FitBit customer who has no interest whatsoever in giving all of my personal, unique, and identifiable health information to a tech company that makes its entire profit on selling its users' data to anyone with a blank check.

I hope that FitBit's executive leadership is considering more than just the financial and business consequences of a buyout.

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity

[Odyssey13]

@SunsetRunner  Fitbit will no doubt do what is best for the company and in keeping with their goals of helping promote fitness. Whatever they do, we'll need to trust they made the best decision possible. I'm a private person, too.

[Gorgon]

Don’t get acquired by this  privacy-invading megacorp, please!

Source https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/28/google-reportedly-in-talks-to-acquire-fitbit/

[SunsetRunner]

I don't blindly trust FitBit to "make the best decision possible".

Let's say, as a thought experiment, FitBit is valued at a cool billion USD - the data, the platform, the hardware, the IP, the patents, all of it.

Now let's say Google offers FitBit a buyout of $5bil.

FitBit's executives are likely to take such a deal, particularly if no other interested party is willing to offer more than $1bil. That's good for FitBit's top brass - they'll make a killing and walk away with shares of one of the most valued companies on Earth (Alphabet). That's bad for FitBit's customers - we'll suddenly find that the most privacy-invasive corporation on the planet has access to all of our data, and there won't be anything we can do about it.

Don't "trust" corporations to "do the right thing". That's not how for-profit business works. If you care about your privacy, voice your concerns rather than staying silent and hoping the people making the decisions at the top share your views.

[SunsetRunner]

Posted here, too:
https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Not-sure-if-there-s-a-better-place-for-this-Plea...

[SunsetRunner]

Seriously good point here: do we want GOOGLE to have access to our health data? I sure do NOT.

[Gorgon]

Even if Google mostly does the right thing in an acquisition with regards to our privacy (I have my doubts, but am willing to concede). Do we expect Google to treat Fitbit any different than Motorola (abandoned) or Nest (treated like a step child) or Picasa (abandoned) or Feedburner (retired) , or …

[CertKennedy]

Fitbit, I understand that business is business. You need to do what you need to do.

Having said that, if you accept an offer to sell to Alphabet (Google), I will cease using and recommending your products and services. I have been quite happy with my experience with Fitbit after being forced off of my Microsoft Band 2. If I have to leave Fitbit, it too will be sad but I will do it.

It is becoming more and more difficult to find good products and services that do not feed into Alphabet / Google. I embrace the few that still exist.

[MikeNorwich]

Privacy would be a worry.

However, it may bring some much needed upside:

• Having access to lots of developers that would help update and improve the app would be really appreciated
• Better integration with other Apps e.g. select your own music provider, select your own virtual assistance etc.
• Better quality and stability (in the longer term)

Do not believe it would signal any issues with support for IOS, Google is out to make money (as a minimum via advertising) and secondly they would prefer you use their stuff than Apple Wearables

[lesterbangs]

There wouldn't be issues with IOS, Google have hundreds of their own apps available on IOS already.

While privacy may be an issue, they pretty much have everything already so I'm past worrying about that.  I would look forward to more apps being available, either on the fitbit platform, or changing the firmware to Android. Google would also be more likely to throw a load of money at it for the first three years to really improve the system.

Unfortunately, after those 3 years they tend to incorporate them somewhere else if it's not providing a ROI. I just hope they keep the fitbit app as is, as it is much better than the Google Fit app imo.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @SunsetRunner @SunsetRunner and @lesterbangs nice to see you around. @MikeNorwich welcome to the Community Forums. 

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your concerns and inquiries about this topic. Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. It's important to remember this information is not in the official Fitbit page, you can find the most recent information about Fitbit here: What's New.

Thanks again for posting and I hope to see you chatting around enjoying the Forums!

[t.parker]

Hopefully, the acquisition will succeed. Google, despite certain privacy issues, cares a lot more about the final product quality. For Fitbit, it may be a tough change when suddenly they will have to fix ancient bugs, make sure the firmware doesn't brick devices and devices don't die all of a sudden shortly after the warranty expires. I don't think users have anything to worry about because the userbase is the greatest value Fitbit brings to the table. Users and data but who knows what's gonna happen.

In terms of privacy, Fitbit isn't any better. I deleted my account in July. Then, after a few weeks, I tried to log in and the account wasn't there. A few weeks ago I started receiving friends request emails. Yesterday I tried to log in and my account is still there, with all data that should be deleted a long time ago. My guess is it was just frozen, but Fitbit never intended to delete the precious data. Somehow, probably by some error, it became unfrozen (who knows, maybe to artificially increase number of active users, show numbers to potential buyers?). So here's your control over your data. In that case, I don't think Google is going to be any worse.

[Rich_Laue]

Waze users have been pleasantly surprised that Google has not made any major changes sin a they purchased waze

[t.parker]

@Rich_Laue that is a good point! For the users, the process of acquisition may be totally invisible. Next week we may know a bit more as Fitbit will release results for third-quarter. The stock prices going up and reached already over $6. It's the best price this year. It shows that investors are hoping this acquisition will succeed and the best for Fitbit may be to accept the deal. Considering previous quarter financial results, not having a sale option may result in no having Fitbit at all at some point. Users, who are worried about buying out by Google should get more familiar with where Fitbit is right now and it is in a very dark place. Looking at the near future (2020), it's either Fitbit with Google or no Fitbit at all. Analysts consider Google to be the best option (among such companies like Apple and Nike, however, it's unknown whether they came up with any offer). There is a lot more at stakes right now for Fitbit. Rejecting Google may bring Fitbit back to where it was a couple of weeks ago (stock prices at $2) in no time. Since it's a public company, Fitbit has to play this game smart but may not be able to eat cake and have cake but the transition very unlikely is going to affect the users in the short term. Acquisitions are very rarely this aggressive and Google/Alphabet wouldn't do anything that would affect the userbase (which is a value of its own, users exodus would leave Google with an empty shell of the company). Hence, the acquisition is not because somebody wants to make more money but in this case, it's probably be-or-not-to-be for Fitbit.

[Rich_Laue]

As far as i know, Google has not made any offer to purchase fitbit. Googles parent company Alphebit has encouraged Fitbit to sell to Google. 

[t.parker]

According to the Motley Fool financial service, the offer of acquisition has been placed which means there must be a little more to it than "well, guys, how about we gonna buy you?". The details are unknown and the price remains in the area of speculation. We will probably find it out on November 6th on which day Fitbit scheduled releasing the next financial report. The news about the acquisition drives the rise of stock prices right now. No acquisition may result in investors backing off and for Fitbit - a big collapse (the last thing needed is to disappoint the investors).

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi everybody, thanks for sharing your comments. As mentioned above, we'll let you know if we have more information about this topic. At the moment, we don't have any other comment about this. Feel free to keep sharing your thoughts. 

Keep up the super stepping!

[t.parker]

Looks like deal has been sealed. It didn't take long:

https://investor.fitbit.com/press/press-releases/press-release-details/2019/Fitbit-to-Be-Acquired-by...

[Macamba]

I just heard the news that Fitbit was bought by alphabet. There goes my data integrity and privacy. When I bought my Ionic last May I was particularly interested in Fitbit's point of view on privacy, and pleasantly surprised in it's stance.Not any more. I will keep on using my sportwatch, but when I am ready to buy a new one it will not be a new Fitbit.