Google Quietly Retires Fitbit Smartwatches in Select Markets

In a move that signals the gradual decline of the Fitbit brand, Google has quietly ceased sales of Fitbit smartwatches in several markets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. This decision aligns with Google’s strategy to streamline its hardware portfolio and focus on its core Pixel smartphone and Wear OS ecosystem.

Effective October 24, 2023, Fitbit smartwatches are no longer available for purchase in 11 European countries: Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia. Additionally, Fitbit devices have been withdrawn from the markets of Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Thailand.

As a consequence, Google has also discontinued auto-renewals of Fitbit Premium memberships in these markets. However, users who have existing subscriptions can continue to enjoy the service’s benefits until their plan expires.

Google’s decision to phase out Fitbit smartwatches in certain markets is not entirely unexpected. Since acquiring Fitbit in 2019, Google has been gradually integrating Fitbit’s technology into its Wear OS platform, leading to a reduction in the development of new Fitbit-branded devices.

Several factors likely contributed to Google’s decision, including declining sales of Fitbit devices, the increasing popularity of Wear OS smartwatches, and the company’s focus on its core hardware offerings.

While Google has not explicitly stated its plans for the future of Fitbit, the company’s recent actions suggest that the brand is likely to be phased out in the near future. This move could potentially see Google discontinue all sales of Fitbit smartwatches in the coming months or years.

Here’s a summary of the key points:

• Google has stopped selling Fitbit smartwatches in several markets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

• The decision was made in an effort to streamline Google’s hardware portfolio and align with the regional availability of its Pixel smartphones.

• Google has also stopped auto-renewals of Fitbit Premium memberships in these markets, but users can still resubscribe to the service through the Fitbit app.

• The move is not a surprise, as Google has been gradually phasing out the Fitbit brand.

• It is unclear whether Google will eventually stop selling Fitbit smartwatches altogether.

Stay tuned for further updates as Google’s hardware strategy continues to evolve.