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Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

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Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#191
post #31

https://news.yahoo.com/google-acquiring-fitbit-130619853.htm... "Google has struggled to make much of a dent in the wearables category..." "Fitbit, meanwhile, has had issues maintaining growth in recent years." Failure + failure = success?

- * - = + ... I don't know dude. The math checks out.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Indeed.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't selling your company with the data the same as selling your data?

It's true Google doesn't sell your data: they just rent it out a bit.

Saying they rent it is almost as misleading as all the people that say they sell it. It implies that the renter gets the data and they don't and that distinction is key.

But I too am not sure what the right way to describe it is. I guess you could say they use your data in the product that they sell.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#193
post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, attribution fixed. Now that we've got that sorted, what do you think of the analogy with respect to this deal? Does it—cough—fit?

Oops, turns out Lyons was just quoting Steve Ballmer: http://web.archive.org/web/20080206081701/https://fakesteve....

It's aphorisms all the way down!

The usual algorithm is to follow the attributions until you reach Samuel Clemons, Benjamin Franklin, Confucius, or Laozi. They are said to have said everything.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#194
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fibit should fit perfectly into the 99$ market for a zillion people that just want to track steps and sleep cycles.

You have 10$ chinese brand-able devices for that: https://rbaron.net/blog/2018/05/27/Hacking-a-cheap-fitness-t...

Or just get a $1 pedometer and a sleep app.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And why wouldn’t they just buy a $199 Apple Watch Series 3? How many people are both into fitness and do price conscience that they won’t spend an extra $100. Well, they could cater to the Android market.

If you have an Android, or even want the option of an Android in the future. I wish Apple would want some of their stuff cross-platform - I don't like the all or nothing nature of the Apple ecosystem (I consider 'exclusives' to be anti-consumer in general).

Well, there is iTunes for Windows, Apple Music for Android and the Apple TV app for various TVs and streaming sticks.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#197
post #46

Vic Gundotra (VP Google) said back when Microsoft bought Nokia that "two turkeys don't make an eagle". Google officially has become the Microosft of the mid 2000s. Lack of direction and innovation, buying up companies just for the sake of it. Here is a link to Google's anology: https://www.techspot.com/news/42338-google-attacks-nokia-and...

I think it's the opposite: Apple is growing its accessories line quite dramatically - this and 'services' are where all the new bottom line growth is.

Extending their brand into consumer products + their 'home portfolio' is actually a strong 'vision' not lack thereof.

I suggest however, that their phone, home etc. might well be done under a separate brand, while still under the Google umbrella.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#198
post #156
post #56

Eventually, all startups will be acquired into the FAANG companies, no matter whatever their "mission statement" is, just like Matryoshka dolls. Pebble -> Fitbit -> Google. I am sure there are more examples.

>Eventually, all startups will be acquired into the FAANG companies, That fatalistic sentiment is often repeated but it's not inevitable that all startups will be acquired by bigger companies. The missing gap in that thinking is that people forget that the startup's founders have free will and must willingly agree to being acquired. I made previous comments about this with examples: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?…

But do they have free will if their startup is majority owned by VC funds?

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#199

And here I was considering getting fitbit... Could anyone suggest an alternative? I really have no trust that google will keep promise not to use the data. edit: thanks all, I have too look into it all back home.

The Apple Watch is the best smart watch on the market and I'd trust Apple a lot more with my data than any alternative.

Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B

#200

The buyout price is unacceptable, expect FIT shareholders to oppose the deal. Basically everyone who has been holding FIT more than two years will take a loss with this deal. IPO price was $20 in 2015.

And they almost hit $52 once, but that is irrelevant now. They are in serious trouble and needed this buyout- that's why they put themselves up for sale.
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