On November 1, Google announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fitbit for approximately $2.1b. Both companies made a point to highlight the importance of data protection in their announcements of the acquisition. “Strong privacy and security guidelines have been part of Fitbit’s DNA since day one, and this will not change. Fitbit will continue to put users in control of their data and will remain transparent about the data it collects and why. The company never sells personal information, and Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads,” Fitbit ex ..read more

A few sales have already started, but you’ll need to be ready on Black Friday to grab the doorbusters. This Apple Watch close-up shows the heart monitor, displaying a heart rate of 83 beats per minute.  Image:TraceyAPhotos / Getty Images It’s never too soon to start gearing up for your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get in shape. If you’ve wanted a smartwatch to track your runs or your steps or to remind you to get moving in the first place, Black Friday 2019 is the time to buy.  T ..read more

Google buys Fitbit: What it means for each player Going forward, Google said Fitbit will continue to remain platform-agnostic across both Android and iOS. While Google will soon own the company, Fitbit continues to develop and enhance its wearable products and the hope is that these efforts won’t change for some time. The new OS 4.1 update will be available for the Fitbit Ionic, Versa Lite, Versa, and Versa 2 starting on 3 December. Fitbit OS 4.1 Back when the Fitbit Versa 2 was released, one of the features I looked forward to was smart wake and I’m pleased to see this is o ..read more

Nov. 1, 2019 Google has agreed to buy Fitbit Inc., a maker of smartwatches and other wearables used for tracking personal health and fitness and also making digital payments, for $2.1 billion, according to a company release.  James Parker, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit, called Google an ideal partner to advance the company’s mission. “With Google’s resources and global platform, Fitbit will be able to accelerate innovation in the wearables category, scale faster and make health even more accessible to everyone,” Parker said in the press release. Fitbit, which has sold more than 100 million d ..read more

Author(s): Julie A. Ask, Frank E. Gillett, and Jeff Becker Alphabet has announced it will acquire Fitbit for $2.1 billion. This acquisition will improve Alphabet’s health and wellness offerings and makes it more competitive. Forrester forecasts that smartwatch sales will surpass those of fitness trackers in 2020, with Apple Watch being the market leader. If Alphabet hopes to catch up, it will need to address broader data privacy concerns prevalent among consumers – as only 25% trust Alphabet to protect their data. If Alphabet can do this, it will find ample opportunity in healthcare. Sixty-fi ..read more

Google’s parent company Alphabet is to acquire Fitbit in a deal valued at approximately $2.1 billion. Rick Osterloh, senior vice president, devices & services at Google, said: “Fitbit has been a true pioneer in the industry and has created terrific products, experiences and a vibrant community of users. We’re looking forward to working with the incredible talent at Fitbit, and bringing together the best hardware, software and AI, to build wearables to help even more people around the world.” James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit, added: “More than 12 years ago, we set an audacious c ..read more

Google announced today that it is acquiring Fitbit, the maker of wireless, wearable-focused sensors that track a person’s daily activities, for $2.1 billion. The news comes just days after Reuters first broke the news about the acquisition, that Google was in talks to buy the popular fitness tracker company. The acquisition, which is pending regulatory approvals, is expected to close in 2020 and Fitbit will become part of Google. In a blog post Friday, Rick Osterloh, Google Senior Vice President, Devices & Services, said: “Today, we’re announcing that Google has entered into a definitive ..read more

There’s value in the data collected from Apple and Fitbit watches ZDNet’s Larry Dignan talks with TechRepublic’s Karen Roby about how the health care sector will be impacted by the large amounts of data that both Apple and Fitbit will be collecting in 2019. Read more: https://zd.net/2TwQEQ7 Google’s silence about Fitbit’s enterprise health business, which is on pace to top $100 million in annual revenue, is a bit odd. When Google’s parent company Alphabet announced the $2.1 billion purchase of Fitbit you’d think the deal was all about smartwatches and fitness trackers. After ..read more

As was rumoured earlier this week, Google has bought wearables tech firm Fitbit, according to an announcement from Fitbit this morning. The deal is expected to be finalized in 2020. According to the release, the deal will see Fitbit at a valuation of US$2.1 billion, with shares sitting at a value of US$7.35 each. After rumours swirled on Monday of an impending deal, Fitbit’s stock surged 30 per cent and the stocks have risen once again after the deal was confirmed, this time rising 17 per cent. “More than 12 years ago, we set an audacious company vision – to make everyone in the world healthi ..read more

gritdaily.com Fitbit is Adding a New Feature That Can Detect an Irregular Heartbeat Fitbit is working with Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer to create a watch that detects Atrial fibrillation – something many Americans suffer from. Fitbit is Adding a New Feature That Can Detect an… The post Fitbit is Adding a New Feature That Can Detect an… appeared first on Tech A Peek ..read more