The success of the Google Pixel Watch could come at the expense of another brand. The most surprising thing is that it is another brand owned by Google. Of course, I’m referring to Fitbit’s auxiliary role in Google’s first smartwatch.
We first learned that the Pixel Watch would benefit from Fitbit tracking when the device was teased at Google I/O during the spring. This news wasn’t entirely a surprise, seeing as Google’s $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit closed in January 2021. In fact, the move looked promising — fitness tracking has always felt like an afterthought in Wear OS otherwise.
But that was before the launch of the Fitbit Versa 4 and Fitbit Sense 2, the two updates this year for the two Fitbit smartwatches. While the Versa has remained one of the best smartwatches for several years, the original Fitbit Sense came out in 2020 with a certain ambition that we’ve never seen in the market before.
That ambition is limited by some glaring quirks of the Fitbit Sense 2, which I reviewed in the weeks leading up to the October 6 Pixel Watch launch. First, Sense 2 has lost support for third-party apps and Google Assistant. It also ships with a USB-A charger, which is kinda odd for $299 for a device. In the middle of the test, it appeared Fitbit app will require a Google accountvery.
So when the Pixel Watch arrived with all its wit that disappeared from Sense, I couldn’t help but wonder what Google’s intention was. For $50 more than the second generation of Sense, the Google Pixel Watch now offers support for third-party apps, as well as nearly all major Google software.
As for fitness tracking, Google promises that the Pixel Watch’s heart rate monitor is best in class. Pair it with a set of health gadgets that were previously exclusive to Fitbit, and I might not see a need for dedicated Fitbit smartwatches.
However, the entire line of Fitbit devices have two important features the Pixel Watch can’t currently copy: compatibility with iOS and Android, and multi-day battery life. (Pixel Watch works only with Android and has a battery life of 24 hours.) The Fitbit Sense in particular also has an electrical activity (EDA) sensor that may be shielded somewhere behind the scenes.
While those perks that survived the debut of the Pixel Watch aren’t stolen, there are fewer Fitbit-only features and fewer Fitbit smartwatch features. It’s reasonable to believe that more Fitbit will be pulled out and more will be introduced to the Pixel Watch in future versions of the Google smartwatch.
It may not happen quickly, but based on what I’ve seen with the Fitbit Sense 2 and what I know about the Google Pixel Watch, the Fitbit may not be getting what it’s worth.
That’s smart work on Google’s part, no doubt, given that the 1.0 smartwatch is shaping up to be a great get-go. I can’t help but wonder how on-line Fitbit users will feel.
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