In a significant shift for Fitbit users, Google has announced the closure of the Fitbit web platform, transitioning to an app-only model from July 8th 2024. This change underscores the evolving nature of fitness tracking technology and reflects broader trends in digital health management.
The Transition: From Web to App
Since its acquisition of Fitbit in January 2021, and nearly 30 million consumers Google has been steadily integrating the fitness tracker’s ecosystem into its broader health and wellness initiatives. The Google Pixel Watch has a lot of the health benefits from the Fitbit team leaving many wondering if Google will continue to manufacture Fitbits in the future.
The decision to move away from a web-based platform is part of this ongoing integration. By focusing solely on the Fitbit app, Google aims to streamline the user experience, enhance functionality, and provide more personalised health insights.
The announcement
“The data and features of the Fitbit.com dashboard are available in the Fitbit app which you can download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The web browser will no longer offer access to the Fitbit.com dashboard after July 8, 2024, but all your details and logging for activities, nutrition, sleep, and weight continue to be available in the Fitbit app.”
Impact on Users
For current Fitbit users, this transition means that all interactions with their devices and health data will need to be conducted through the Fitbit app. The web platform will be discontinued, and users will be prompted to download the app to continue accessing their data and tracking their fitness goals.
Why the Change
In a blog on Fitbit’s community blog they wrote “Combined with Google’s decades of being the best at making sense of data, it’s our mission to be one combined Fitbit and Google team. Consolidating the Fitbit.com dashboard into the Fitbit app is a part of that mission, and will allow us to focus on features that provide even more valuable insights to our users.”
This is not the first controversial change from the Google owned company as they removed community challenges in March 2023 which was arguably one of the best features and one that separated them from Apple and the Apple Watch. Then they confirmed the removal of Fitbit Pay from July 2024 and users will need to download Google Wallet instead (if available on their device).
Your Thoughts
Let us know your thoughts on this change from Google, will this push you towards other manufacturers such as Samsung, OnePlus etc.?