Fitbit has announced that it will add support for logging in with a Google account in 2023. The move comes after Fitbit joined the Google family of companies in January 2021 through an acquisition that was valued in at $2.1 billion (roughly Rs. 17,000 crore). Fitbit’s latest devices, including the Sense 2 and Versa 4, were released with “Fitbit by Google” branding, and an operating system identical to Google’s Wear OS 3 for its Pixel watch. Signing up to set up new Fitbit devices will require using a Google account from next year, according to Fitbit.
At the moment, Fitbit continues to provide its products and services “separately from Google” and a Fitbit account is required to use the app and devices, according to Fitbit’s Help Page. Fitbit currently manages its own login system with two-factor authentication (2FA) that utilises carrier SMS for verification.
Once the change is introduced in 2023, “some uses of Fitbit will require a Google account, including to sign up for Fitbit or activate newly released Fitbit devices and features,” as per the company’s help page. Non-Google Fitbit account users will be allowed to continue using their accounts in the same manner until 2025.
Once the transition is live, Fitbit users will be required to consent to the transfer of their user data from Fitbit to Google, which will grant them access to Fitbit services subject to Google’s terms of service, privacy policy, and binding commitments for Fitbit.
The European Commission, which approved Google’s takeover of Fitbit, under the EU Merger Regulation, mandates Google’s full compliance with the “binding commitments” package that includes ensuring that user health and wellness data are not being used for Google Ads, and maintaining access to user health and fitness data to software applications through the Fitbit Web API, without additional charges or downgrading of users experience on third-party wrist-worn devices. The duration of this mandated commitment currently stands at ten years, after which the commission may choose to extend the commitment for an additional ten years.