Google now officially owns Fitbit

Google has announced the completion of its acquisition of wearable company Fitbit.

The announcement was made by Google Senior Vice President, Devices & Services Rick Osterloh on 14 January.

“Today, I’m excited to announce that Google has completed its acquisition of Fitbit and I want to personally welcome this talented team to Google,” Osterloh said in a statement.

The acquisition officially began in 2019, when Google announced a deal to buy Fitbit for $2.9-billion.

Owning Fitbit adds an important segment to Google’s smart devices business, without needing to establish a completely new brand.

Fitbit launched the Fitbit Sense and other fitness trackers in South Africa late last year. It also has the Fitbit Premium subscription service available for users.

But Fitbit co-founder CEO James Park says that becoming part of Google’s business will also unlock new opportunities for Fitbit.

“Becoming part of the Google family means we can do even more to inspire and motivate you on your journey to better health,” Park said in a statement.

“On our own, we pushed the bounds of what was possible from the wrist, pioneering step, heart rate, sleep, and stress tracking. With access to Google’s incredible resources, knowledge, and global platform, the possibilities are truly limitless.”

Google has also apparently made binding commitments with global regulators to not use Fitbit health data for advertising.

Health and wellness data will remain separate from other user data, according to both companies.

Feature image: Fitbit

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