Articles about Fitbit

There is nothing that technology companies will not try to enhance with AI. Google is no stranger to this with Gemini, and the company has announced an AI-powered fitness coach for the Fitbit platform.

But this is more than just a fitness coach. Google describes it as a “a fitness trainer, a sleep coach and a health and wellness advisor” all rolled into one. The aim is to be the AI coach that is suitable for everyone, so what can it do?

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Google has announced plans to help protect user privacy in relation to health data. While the company does not make explicit reference to the recent overturning of Roe v Wade, there has been concern in the wake of the historic ruling, including fears that data collected by apps and websites could be used against individuals.

With this in mind, Google says that it will start to automatically delete location data about visits to "particularly personal" facilities such as abortion clinics and domestic violence centers. The company has also announced update to both Google Fit and Fitbit that will give users greater control over their data.

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Fitness trackers can help keep children active and introduce ways of staying healthy, but they need to be fun to hold their interest.

Fitbit today introduces the Ace 3 Special Edition: Minions for kids 6+ starring Illumination’s Minions characters. The swim-proof device includes features such as daily activity goals and hourly move reminders.

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Alphabet own Google. Google owns Fitbit. And Fitbit largely owns... well... the fitness tracker market. Look, Apple Watch might be wildly popular, but for the average consumer, the name "Fitbit" is synonymous with wearables. I have witnessed many people referring to fitness trackers made by other brands as "Fitbit." This behavior is much like consumers calling all adhesive bandages "Band-Aid."

Fitbit's success isn't a mystery. Besides its catchy brand name, the devices are easy to use and are heavily focused on fitness. In other words, Fitbit devices aren't overly complicated. This has lead to their adoption by people that aren't necessarily gadget enthusiasts. Oh, and they have excellent battery life too -- they don't need daily charging like Apple Watch.

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Well, folks, the rumors were true -- Google will be buying Fitbit. The search giant will be spending more than $2 billion on the acquisition -- a substantial amount of money even for a company as big as Google. The deal should be finalized next year. The question, of course, is why does Google want to buy Fitbit? I mean, look, Fitbit wearables are cool, but they are very basic. For some, the simplicity is a benefit, as more full-featured smartwatches can be too complicated to use. With that said, Google can easily create a basic wearable on its own -- it does not need Fitbit designers for that.

This is purely speculation, but I am guessing Google wanted to keep Fitbit from being acquired by one of its own competitors, such as Microsoft or Apple. There is value in Fitbit's name too, so I can foresee Wear OS devices being touted as "powered by Fitbit" when it comes to the fitness aspect of Google's watch-based OS. There are likely patents owned by Fitbit that Google is happy to add to its portfolio too.

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Google's parent company Alphabet has made an offer to buy health and fitness wearable maker Fitbit, according to reports.

Although unconfirmed by either party, such a bid would not be entirely surprising. Although Google has produced its Wear OS operating system for wearables, it is yet to produce any devices of its own -- despite users clamoring for a Google-made smartwatch for some time.

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Donald Trump has imposed import tariffs of $200 billion on Chinese goods brought into the US, with the threat of even more on the way.

The tariffs have been blamed on China's "unfair policies and practices", but despite the president's pleas for Apple to shift production from China to the US, the Apple Watch will be exempt from the 10 percent import tax. Also exempt are Apple's AirPods and a range of other technology products.

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For many consumers, buying a wearable is all about fitness. In that case, a health-focused device, such as a Fitbit, makes a lot of sense. The problem, of course, is that no one only exercises -- they live their lives and do other things like shopping and listening to music. That is why it was frustrating that Fitbit did not produce a more robust wearable -- an actual smartwatch.

Today this changes, as Fitbit officially unveils the Ionic smartwatch, which is compatible with both iOS and Android. Rather than run Android Wear, it leverages a new operating system called Fitbit OS. It features what you would expect from a Fitbit, such as counting steps and monitoring heart rate, but it also has enhanced modes for running and swimming too. It will also work with some popular services, such as Starbucks and Pandora. The smartwatch even features a new mobile payments system called Fitbit Pay. Best of all, the Ionic features up to four days of battery life -- much longer than its competitors' offerings.

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