On November 1, 2019, an open rumor was confirmed within the technology sector, a rumor that Google could buy Fitbit, the most veteran manufacturer in the market if we talk about exercise quantifying bracelets. As is customary in this type of purchase, the regulatory authorities had to give the go-ahead.
Regulatory authorities that, to this day, I keep wondering what they were thinking when in 2014 they allowed the purchase of WhatsApp by Facebook. The European Commission opened an investigation to verify what would happen to Fitbit’s customer data.
Finally, the European Commission has given the go-ahead to the purchase since from Fitbit they ensure that the data of Fitbit users will not be used at any time by Google for advertising, since the data will be kept independently of the that Google stores. In addition, Google’s interest is in the devices, not in the data of its customers (a truth that we could half consider).
From Google, they affirm that users can continue to have the option of connecting to third-party services to monitor and analyze their physical activity, without being forced to use the solution that Google offers through Google Fit.
This is the most important point that justified the decision of the European Commission to open an investigation since it wants to avoid monopolies (something they did not do with WhatsApp and are now lamenting).
Fitbit led the evolution of quantifying wristbands
Fitbit launched the first quantifying bracelet in 2009 and since then it has put more than 120 million units on the market. However, in recent years, due to the rise of new manufacturers, it is increasingly difficult to reach more people, so it is betting on offering additional services that no other manufacturer has.