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Fitbit is now officially part of Google

blog.fitbit.com

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Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#211

Post by echelon »

IgorPartola wrote: post #186
dr_dshiv wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol, I totally agree. I actually believe that they care a lot about protecting my data -- more than any other data caretaker. Probably because if they abuse our data it would be financially costly. But that's the beautiful thing about capitalism...

Apple has entered the chat. I am sure you’ve heard the argument before: Google is an advertising company. Using your data to sell you products is why they have your data. The more they can get, the higher their profits. Apple is a hardware company. They don’t want your data and store it begrudgingly because to them it’s nothing but liability. Whenever they can, they will encrypt your data in a way they can’t access i…

Neither.

Apple is attempting to steal the concept of computing and turn it into a protected, arcane art.

You can't even run your own software on a device you own. That's a sure sign of a company that loves you and has your best interests at heart.

Apple is just as cutthroat as any. They only want your money.

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#213

Post by radicalriddler »

franciscojgo wrote: post #157
rvz wrote: post #153

Translation: Google now has access to all your fitness and health data and will be integrated into Google Fit. No thanks and no deal.

Exactly. They say it as if joining Google was a positive. No it it isn't. Just tell the truth: you sold Fitbit and made bank. No issue here.

It is a positive. For the owners and all the investors!

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#214

Post by at-fates-hands »

halfdan wrote: post #124
thatguy0900 wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>If this is a reason for acquisition, then why wouldn't G*gle wait until they were "killed" so they could come in and buy their business for pennies on the dollar? Because what Google wants to buy is their marketshare and existing userbase. I very much doubt fitbit has any tech or products google couldn't make themselves in a few months. The longer fitbit sucks compared to their competition the lower that becomes.

This, and they want to hire the talent that built the product. If Fitbit were already a sinking ship for too long most senior folks would have left.

Great point.

Hard to continue developing a product when the most talented people in the company have gone elsewhere already. They need the human capital in order to make sure it stays afloat and they get the requisite knowledge transfer.

Then its anybody's guess what will happen. Google's track record of buying technology and then doing something better with it is not encouraging at all.

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#215

Post by confiq »

gman83 wrote: post #197
IgorPartola wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple has entered the chat. I am sure you’ve heard the argument before: Google is an advertising company. Using your data to sell you products is why they have your data. The more they can get, the higher their profits. Apple is a hardware company. They don’t want your data and store it begrudgingly because to them it’s nothing but liability. Whenever they can, they will encrypt your data in a way they can’t access i…

Based on what you wrote I would say Google, because they have so much more to lose. That data is really really valuable to them, whereas to Apple it isn't really.

exactly this ^! remember thefappening? Imagine what shitstorm would be if that would happen to google...

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#216

Post by [deleted] »

Vermeulen wrote: post #193
wsloth514 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn't just the data people fear. It is the product support, hardware decisions, and lifetime of the product. One, they have been become known for not making great hardware quality (See recent Pixel line issues). Besides Pixel lineup, there have been multiple hardware issues so they are not known for quality. Two, they have been known to screw up hardware features and do their own thing, see Nest lineup. This can b…

I agree - I'd be more hopeful for Fitbit with other tech giants (microsoft/apple)

[deleted]

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#217

Post by ssully »

brlewis wrote: post #79
akmarinov wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They have a very clear history of buying companies, carving out what they need from it and reselling it (Boston Dynamics, Motorola, HTC, etc). Chances are that Fitbit won't be around 2-3 years from now, hence no real reason to invest in a product from them now.

Like everyone who has an account on HN, I'm aware that there are companies acquired by Google that no longer exist. But some -- Android, youtube, Nest, etc. -- still exist. What makes you think Fitbit will fall in the former category? Random probability?

I don't know, I used to resist people's comments about Google shutting everything down, but I find myself on that side of the fence more often these days. With that said, I would be surprised if Google shut Fitbit down. Wearables seem to be big business when done right, and Fitbit is the best thing outside of Apple watches (not counting Garmin, they are in an upper tier imo). I think it's in Google's best interest to properly integrate Fitbit into their company and help it grow.

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#218

Post by at-fates-hands »

xnx wrote: post #191
m00x wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a Fitbit and I love this acquisition. I want to be able to put my fitness data in the rest of the Google ecosystem. The more data Google has on me, the more use I get out of Google's tools. I really don't care that it has tons of data on me, Google has been super responsible of my data and its uses. The risk/reward is 100% worth.

I'm replying in agreement that this is also my opinion. Google could do bad things with my data in the future, but, to date, there is no company I trust more. Contrary to a very vocal crowd on HN, rankings of most loved brands show that many people like Google https://morningconsult.com/most-loved-brands-2020/

Liking a company != trusting a company with your data.

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#219

Post by at-fates-hands »

GeekyBear wrote: post #204
m00x wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a Fitbit and I love this acquisition. I want to be able to put my fitness data in the rest of the Google ecosystem. The more data Google has on me, the more use I get out of Google's tools. I really don't care that it has tons of data on me, Google has been super responsible of my data and its uses. The risk/reward is 100% worth.

No company with surveillance capitalism as their business model should be allowed access to health data from an acquired company without the user explicitly opting in. However, I sincerely doubt Fitbit would have been worth anywhere near as much under those conditions.

This is the moral razors edge companies have to walk on nowadays.

Do they sell their company out and get rich, or do they stick to their principles and safeguard their users data?

I don't have the right answer. What I do know is when you're facing down a multi-million dollar payout, principles tend to get tossed out the window.

Re: Fitbit is now officially part of Google

#220

Post by joshuamorton »

akmarinov wrote: post #73
brlewis wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I am super happy with my Fitbit but given Google I assume it will be "sunset" within a year or two I work for Fitbit. I don't speak for Fitbit, but now that the deal is closed I can share my own opinions and ask my own questions. What makes you think Google wants Apple to have the only good smart watch? That would be the main effect of sunsetting Fitbit. Nest still exists after their 2014 acquisition by Google, and…

They have a very clear history of buying companies, carving out what they need from it and reselling it (Boston Dynamics, Motorola, HTC, etc). Chances are that Fitbit won't be around 2-3 years from now, hence no real reason to invest in a product from them now.

As I understand it, the bits they carved out of HTC and motorola are what became Pixel. It's not like they stopped producing phones.
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