2019-11-05 05:59:13
Last Friday, Google plunked down $2.1 billion to acquire Fitbit. If you’ve been paying attention to wearables, the news wasn’t exactly a surprise. Google has been hobbling along in the smartwatch space for what feels like eons, and despite Fitbit shelling out $23 million to buy Pebble in 2017, its foray into smartwatches has been a mixed bag. It’s only natural that Google, with its deep pockets and a seemingly renewed interest in wearables, would extend a “helping hand” to a struggling giant. Fitbit gets some much-needed cash, and Google gets a beloved brand with hardware know-how, an active user base of 28 million, and a wealth of data. The deal looks smart on paper, but I’m not sold that buying Fitbit will miraculously solve Google’s wearables problem.