Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Fitbit Files IPO

sec.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 108 posts

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#31

Post by mahyarm »

eroo wrote: post #2

Devices in millions [2011,2014]: 0.2, 1.3, 4.5, 10.9 Revenue in millions [2011,2014[: 14.5, 76.4, 271.1, 745.4 Paid active users in millions [2011,2014]: NULL, 0.6, 2.6, 6.7 I realize they sell more than just pedometers, but their core product is a 3-axis accelerometer that calculates a dubious step count w/o really actionable insights. Imagine what this can be once there start to be useful applications/more of the d…

I find the automatic sleep tracking in the charge pretty valuable. And now there is the resting heart rate tracking. Also their step tracking firmware is one of the best. The aria is also useful.

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#32

Post by choppaface »

epmatsw wrote: post #3

I used to be pretty on the FitBit train, but I don't think that I'm in their camp any more. Refusing to integrate with Healthkit, purposefully building their challenges feature to reject data input through their APIs, and charging for access to raw data are enough to ensure that I'll never buy one of their products again. Kind of a shame, their hardware, dashboard, and app are all pretty great :(

Their customer service is pretty horrible, too. My Aria scale just would not connect to wifi. CS sent me the same troubleshooting info as listed on their site 3 times and then offered a replacement but refused to pay for shipping. In comparison, I had a MIO Fuse, which broke, and their CS not only mailed me a pre-paid label but even got me in direct email contact with one of their PMs to try to troubleshoot the issue.

It also took Fitbit over a quarter to launch Strava integration after announcing it, yet that feature is probably a couple days (max) of coding. The Mods in the discussion forms kept sandbagging, claiming the feature was extremely complex.

The initial step counter was a hit product with a specific niche. My impression is they've really struggled to keep up with growth and innovation in the field, and this IPO is very much an attempt at an exit of sorts.

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#33

Post by natch »

sremani wrote: post #26

Between Apple Watch from lifestyle perspective and Microsoft Band from fitness functional perspective, FitBit is being squeezed. They can still be profitable, but if Microsoft continues to refine and hone Band, FitBit is in serious trouble.

If anything my new watch is making me more open minded about wearing stuff on my wrists. Since the Apple Watch lacks sleep monitoring (of course, since it's off being charged during sleep time), I've been considering buying something that does do sleep monitoring. Point being, the squeeze may go both ways.

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#34

Post by frio »

choppaface wrote: post #32
epmatsw wrote: post #3

I used to be pretty on the FitBit train, but I don't think that I'm in their camp any more. Refusing to integrate with Healthkit, purposefully building their challenges feature to reject data input through their APIs, and charging for access to raw data are enough to ensure that I'll never buy one of their products again. Kind of a shame, their hardware, dashboard, and app are all pretty great :(

Their customer service is pretty horrible, too. My Aria scale just would not connect to wifi. CS sent me the same troubleshooting info as listed on their site 3 times and then offered a replacement but refused to pay for shipping. In comparison, I had a MIO Fuse, which broke, and their CS not only mailed me a pre-paid label but even got me in direct email contact with one of their PMs to try to troubleshoot the issue…

That's a pity. I've had the opposite experience with FitBit's support, including free shipping of replacement bits to New Zealand. I was somewhat blown away by the quality of their support.

With that said, I've become less happy with their hardware over time. My One frequently resets its clock and thus miscounts steps; my Aria downgrades my network to 802.11b (but that might be fixed by getting a better router?).

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#35

Post by Sirey4 »

Reading through the comment thus far, I'm seeing a lot of negative sentiment towards the product. In the end, the demographic of the type of people on Hacker News is still vastly different from the majority.

I don't think it matters that refusing to integrate with Healthkit or rejecting data through their API matters. Check out the App Store. The Fitbit app is usually in the top 100 apps, let alone tops in the health category.

Some of you are bringing up the Apple Watch or products from Garmin and such, but again these are completely different. I recently got a Charge HR myself from fitbit and the requirements for me were some base functionality, acceptable battery life, and above all size and lightness. I've had the Charge HR for about 3 months and I hardly notice it except when I'm in competition with friends on the Fitbit app. I've had more than just a handful of friends also getting Fitbits because of the ecosystem.

I'm a believer, and barring a ridiculous price after the IPO, I'll likely be an investor.

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#36

Post by JoshTriplett »

epmatsw wrote: post #3

I used to be pretty on the FitBit train, but I don't think that I'm in their camp any more. Refusing to integrate with Healthkit, purposefully building their challenges feature to reject data input through their APIs, and charging for access to raw data are enough to ensure that I'll never buy one of their products again. Kind of a shame, their hardware, dashboard, and app are all pretty great :(

You forgot "revealing their customers private information": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitbit#Privacy_concerns

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#37

Post by ucha »

With revenue tripling every year and projected net income around or over 200M this year, I wouldn't be surprised if Fitbit was valued at a P/E over 50. They would be worth $10+ B which is a huge surprise to say the least.

Re: Fitbit Files IPO

#39

Post by guelo »

epmatsw wrote: post #3

I used to be pretty on the FitBit train, but I don't think that I'm in their camp any more. Refusing to integrate with Healthkit, purposefully building their challenges feature to reject data input through their APIs, and charging for access to raw data are enough to ensure that I'll never buy one of their products again. Kind of a shame, their hardware, dashboard, and app are all pretty great :(

If it was my business I'd be scared shitless about relinquishing control of my data to arrogant, secretive, bullying Apple.
Post reply on HN