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Google denies reports that it’s discontinuing Fitbit products

⁨251⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Xatolos@reddthat.com⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/08/google-denies-report-that-its-discontinuing-fitbit-products/

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Comments

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  • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Either Google continually buys companies for far more than they should or they really suck at buisness. How many times have they aquired healthy companies then absolutely destroyed them? It’s hard for me to believe they’re not actively trying to at this point.

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    • psmgx@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      The point is to exterminate them. To paraphrase another company, embrace, extend, extinguish.

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      • Badeendje@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        In this case it’s more if you can’t beat em buy em. But it’s from the same school of business.

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    • nucleative@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Yeah, if they are healthy companies they could snag some market share from one of Google’s products.

      Easier to kill them early.

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    • EddieTee77@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Between Fitbit and Nest, I don’t know how they can buy them and not just let them run separately like Waze. They have great brands that were ruined.

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  • makyo@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    It’s what Google does, launch products -> cancel them, buy products -> cancel them. I have been burned enough times by them that I don’t use anything they make anymore out of the certainty that it’ll get canceled just as soon as I’ve grown to depend on it.

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    • primrosepathspeedrun@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      what’s the word for a thing that worms its way into your life, makes you depend on it, then uses that to exploit and damage you?

      there’s a word for that.

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      • wrekone@lemmyf.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        I too was married once.

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      • j4yt33@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Cat?

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  • Erasmus@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Same thing happened to Nest. The cameras and thermostats were great when they were a private company then sh*t the bed when Google took them over.

    Google stopped support of their app almost immediately in support of ‘Google Home’ which was to control the thermostat and Camera - which is terrible and requires you to constantly log into it with your email and password if you want to access anything.

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    • aport@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Google Home is the biggest piece of shit I’ve ever had the displeasure to use.

      It used to work really well, and now it’s trash. I don’t know how they could fuck something up so badly.

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      • APassenger@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Home Assistant works well on a cheap(-ish) Raspberry Pi. They’re even working to get voice fully capable.

        It can be fully local and is FOSS, for those for whom that matters.

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        • -> View More Comments
      • TehWorld@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        I went with the BezosBoxHomeAsssssistant. … it sucks too. The challenge to my mind is that it’s hard to make any profit on these things, so it’s hard to spend the dev and server $$$ required to actually make the systems do what they should.

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    • n2burns@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      I don’t think I’ve ever had to log into the Google Home app, it just uses the accounts on my phone. Or is this some sort of situation where, “I’m too Android to understand this problem?”

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  • altima_neo@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Rip Fitbit. They had a good run.

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    • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      I’m still salty over Pebble

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      • Quill7513@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        God the Pebble was such a nice piece of hardware. They really focused on the shit that mattered

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      • TrenchcoatFullofBats@belfry.rip ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        I’ve moved to Garmin now, but I have an ocean’s worth of salt over Pebble as well.

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      • n2burns@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        I’m still wearing an OG Pebble (I’ve had about a dozen Pebbles total) . However, they’re starting to get more rare and expensive. Also, while I’m still on Android 12, I understand Android 14 can break the app.

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      • TehWorld@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        I had two Pebble Steel watches. One just up and died one day and the other slowly failed as the buttons stopped working. I knew it was fixable, but with the sale to Fitbit happening, I Switched to AppleWatch. I do miss some things (battery life!) but all in all I’m not unhappy with my Apple Watch.

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      • ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Chromecast gave life to my old TVs for years. I’m watching it slowly die.

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    • Deceptichum@quokk.au ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Now they can do the walk of shame as a Google product.

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  • peopleproblems@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    I literally just bought a Fitbit because I really needed a watch and it has the features I cared about and was way less expensive than a Garmin.

    Honestly I think Google will cancel them because they compete with Android Wear or whatever and can’t hold a charge worth a damn

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  • rxbudian@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Glad I moved to Garmin a while back. I preferred Fitbit’s Dashboard over Garmin
    When I heard Google’s buying it, I got a Garmin for my next smartwatch just to check the UI. I was thinking of moving back, but I guess I won’t.
    Garmin seems to be embracing smartwatches with a number of different series

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    • shalafi@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Great to see all the Garmin love, I’ll have a look.

      Just got an ancient Garmin standalone GPS from the thrift store. Soldered a new battery in and it’s GTG. Even with zero updates, the quality is top notch. One example; It’s been untouched and turned on in my hiking pack for over a month. Battery is full hot!

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    • vividspecter@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Garmin watches are now increasingly supported by GadgetBridge too, so you can have a fully offline setup.

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      • AWittyUsername@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Tell me more please. What’s gadget bridge and what are the benefits?

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  • Matriks404@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    The year is 2039.

    After successful launch of AILook replacement NextAI, Google is discontinuing traditional Google Search.

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    • neclimdul@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      You think it’ll take that long? Seems optimistic.

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  • rxbudian@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    FYI for those thinking of migrating to pixel watch: Big oof: The Google Pixel Watch 3 can’t be repaired, only replaced

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    • Xatolos@reddthat.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      While on this subject, here is the iFixIt list of repairable smartwatches.

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    • Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Thankful for my first-generation ANCIENT Apple Watch. It needs to be charged every night and the UI is a bit sluggish, but it’s still kickin! Still does everything I want it to (legitimately just activity tracking and reading texts)

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    • kirk781@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      It’s a shame. This was the case with both their previous watches as well.

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  • OneWomanCreamTeam@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Of course they aren’t killing fotbit. This week.

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    • Joelk111@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Yeah, and as if anyone would know. They’ll send out the announcement internally on the Tuesday before the next fitbit releases, then announce it to the public on Wednesday.

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  • TheHottub@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    It’s like when you stop hanging out with your girlfriend in hopes she breaks up with you. Technically you didn’t break up with her.

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  • shalafi@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Lots of Garmin love in here! Anything affordable that handles GPS well?

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  • Drathro@dormi.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Alright, where’s my replacement once my current Fitbit dies? What company makes a watch that tracks steps, heart rate, sleep, spO2, notifications, is generally water resistant (light swimming) and has a battery that lasts ~5+ days? Bonus points for open firmware/hardware that doesn’t require me to design my own apps/systems for each of those items. I don’t even use most of what my Versa 3 can do, but I know it won’t last forever and I’d at least like an idea of where to go if/when it breaks down.

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    • mosiacmango@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Garmin is the gold standard in athletic watches. They have a ton of models, from generic entry level to high end, sport specific.

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    • jodanlime@midwest.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Check out Withings. Not open, but they are pretty good on respecting privacy and check the boxes you want. withings doesn’t do the full screen app stuff, but it’s a good watch with all the smart features.

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    • aport@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Garmin Instinct 2 does all of those things well, and has excellent battery life. I charge mine about every two weeks.

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  • LucidNightmare@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    It’s a damn shame they won’t drop Chrome like they do most things. I can dream, I suppose.

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  • TheHottub@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    They destroyed Fitbit. It was just to kill competitors. I’ve had so many issues with Google hardware it’s insane.

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  • Capricorn_Geriatric@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    They haveb’t stopped producing them… Yet. They’re just planning to.

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