Google Assistant will no longer be available on Fitbit Sense and Versa 3

[StefanieFitbit]

We want to share an update regarding Google Assistant on Fitbit Smartwatches. 

Over the next few weeks we will be progressively phasing out Google Assistant on your Fitbit device. You can learn more about this process here. This change means that Google Assistant voice control for activities will soon no longer be available on your Fitbit device. 

We understand that changes can be disruptive, and we value your feedback. We remain committed to continuously improving your Fitbit app and developing exciting new features. 

You can still continue to use Amazon Alexa voice assistant in certain languages and countries on your Fitbit devices. For more information check, How do I set up a voice assistant on my Fitbit smartwatch?

To learn about the Assistant experience on mobile  see, The Assistant experience on mobile is upgrading to Gemini.

[brandon_mc12]

Received this email just now announcing that fitbit are "phasing out" Google. Hilariously, I still had to login with my Google account on this forum in order to post this message. I assume this spells the end of voice assistant on my Sense watch. What a joke.

 
Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

[Jvdzande]

Seems they finally found a permanent solution, according to an Email I received today:

Dutch: Google Assistent is niet meer beschikbaar op Fitbit Sense en Versa 3
English: Google Assistant is not available anymore on Fitbit Sense and Versa 3

The content of the email states it will be phased out over the course of the next few weeks and links to this URL:
https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/13971691?utm_source=transactional&utm_medium=email_crm&u...

Seriously GOOGLE?

---

[gaume]

I'm not surprised, Google Assistant will disappear in favor of Gemini.

It's a shame, Google Assistant was working properly again on Versa 3.

For my part, I'm going to change my watch. Bye bye Fitbit....

[Swimfan02066]

The irony is that it finally has been working the last week or so!! Figures. 

[Bkkaisner]

Do not take away Google assistant on my Sense! It hasn't always worked the greatest, but that feature was the main reason I got the Sense model! I use it all the time! I have no reason to purchase Google/Fitbit watches in the future if they don't have Google assistant. There are plenty of other smart watches available.

[Kabalagala]

Ridiculous. 

I received the same email.

I am disgusted.

Never again a Google smartwatch in my life.

Moderator edit - Formatting

[RoccoMarco]

Google came, google took, google destroyed. 

So much for don't be evil. The worst part is that they are now trying to sell that crap google pixel watch as an alternative to the fitbit.

We picked Fitbit in the first place for long battery life and fitness features. I never wanted a smartwatch.

[N8teGee]

Well this is disappointing to hear. 

I assume it's because Google assistant is being replaced by Gemini, but then you have legacy devices left out in the cold if they can't run Gemini. 

[Anya68]

Just had email to say versa 3 and charge 2 are going to have google assistant removed from them. Soon these watches will be no more than a basic watch and some cheaper health monitor watches will have more functionality. 

[trawg]

They finally fixed it, and then decided to axe the whole feature. Very confusing.

[csmith44147]

Why are you taking it away? Give us more information. This is the last straw. I am not buying another Fitbit or Google watch. First youndegrade our batteries then take away Google Assistant? You charge a ton ofo ey for these products then dictate what features we have. The reason I have the Sense is because you took away my Ionic, which worked perfectly fine. The Ionic also had "battery issues". Neither of these devices gave me battery issues. 

Why Google? Why are you killing off devices before they're actually dead? With inflation on a skyrocket, we can't afford to keep buying these devices at the pace you want. Make them last, so we buy the products that last for us, instead of the other brands. 

[dazzabozza]

I’m an Apple device user with a Google smart ecosystem.

The sole reason I bought a Fitbit Sense over an Apple Watch was so I could use Google Assistant to control my smart devices.

Excellent battery life on Fitbit devices whereas Pixel devices are **ahem**e in comparison. Google constantly taking away features and becoming “less smart”, is making me look at alternatives and dropping the brand.

[AngelosD]

You said that Google Assistant voice control for activities will no longer be available on Fitbit devices. What do you mean by "activities"? Is that means that other voice control actions such as turning on my A/C or turning off the lights will still be available?

[LZeeW]

@Anya68   I moved your post to the Other Versa Smartwatch forum, a better fit for your comments.  Yes, Google is phasing out Google Assistant across all its devices.  The Charge 2 doesn't have Google Assistant.

[Guy_]

Hi @AngelosD - the whole message is unclear.

Already Google Assistant routines stopped working a few years ago and was never fixed.

The watch is sold with voice assistances, Google or Alexa.

Customers, even those without a Google email account, can use the Google Assistant.

It seems that because Google has decided to provide two assistants, instead of upgrading the current one, they are not going to allow users to use either (or parts of either, as it is unclear) from the watch.

The question is why are they degrading the watch to force-ably inconvenience the user when there isn't any reason to, especially when they say they are committed to making improvements.

How is this an improvement for anybody?

Why aren't all users being notified by email of the change of conditions?

[omnicindy]

Wow. Maybe I should just switch everything to Amazon Alexa, since its apparent that Google doesn't care about supporting its products. Like others, one of the main reasons I got the Sense was for the Google Assistant integration. I guess that's why I've been having so much trouble with that lately, because Google just doesn't give a **ahem** about it's current customers. No way I'll be going with the Pixel.

[Guy_]

Google quietly announced in the support section the removal of Google Assistant features for the Sense and Versa 3 watches.

How do I use a voice assistant on my Fitbit smartwatch?

"Over the coming weeks we’ll be progressively phasing out Google Assistant on Sense and Versa 3. This means that Google Assistant voice control for activities will no longer be available on your Fitbit device. You can learn more about this process here."

Changes that we’re making to Google Assistant

The whole message is not clear, is it for activities only or for all features?

Already Google Assistant routines stopped working a few years ago and was never fixed.

The watch is sold with voice assistants, Google or Alexa.

Customers, even those without a Google email account, can use the Google Assistant.

It seems that because Google has decided to provide two assistants, instead of upgrading the current one, they are not going to allow users to use either (or parts of either, as it is unclear) from the watch.

The question is why are they degrading the watch to force-ably inconvenance the user when there isn't any reason to, especially when they say they are committed to making improvements.

How is this an improvement for anybody?

Why aren't all users being notified by email of the change of conditions?

[Anya68]

I got the same message last week and questioned it. Like you I got message back saying it is being phased out but had heard nothing about it previously. It seems Fitbit is getting less and less useful and some cheaper smartwatches seem to have more going for them now. Mind since being taken over they probably are trying to force you to buy one of their more expensive watches 

[LZeeW]

@Guy_   This article from Android Police is similar to others stating that Google is retiring Google Assistant in favor Gemini.  This change isn't limited to Fitbits.  Other available information says it will include older Android phones, too.

Emails got sent to users with affected devices.  It didn't go to all users.