This summer time, present Fitbit customers could have the choice of logging in utilizing a Google Account because the tech large continues integrating the health platform into its personal.
It’s nonetheless optionally available for now. Again in September 2022, Fitbit up to date its help web page (opens in new tab) to state “current Fitbit accounts can be supported ‘till at the least early 2025” when everybody can be required to make use of a Google Account. So, you continue to have a few years’ leeway with the outdated login, in keeping with the announcement (opens in new tab), except you’re a brand new adopter. Across the identical time, Fitbit will start requiring future Fitbit customers to make use of their Google Account credentials to register on the health platform.
In the identical submit, Google makes an attempt to sweeten the deal by outlining a number of advantages of creating the change. The corporate states utilizing a single login provides better comfort by “making it simpler so that you can handle all of your related apps and paired gadgets – plus all of your data is in a single place.” Moreover, Fitbit customers will get to take pleasure in “Google’s industry-leading privateness and safety”. Well being and wellness knowledge will proceed to be saved separate from Google Adverts knowledge.
It’s unknown precisely when throughout the summer time the replace will happen. The corporate states that customers ought to maintain a watch out for a immediate on the Fitbit cell app throughout the preliminary rollout. Or you may simply head over to the Settings menu on the app to jumpstart the method throughout that timeframe. We reached out to Google to see if it may give us a extra concrete date. This story can be up to date if we hear again.
Massive adjustments
Ever because the Pixel Watch launched final yr with built-in Fitbit options, we’ve seen Google take a proverbial hatchet to the Fitbit platform. The tech large not too long ago stopped supporting a number of key group options, together with Adventures, Challenges, and open teams. Entry to offline music was revoked when help for music streaming platforms Pandora and Deezer was lower brief again in January. Return even additional to October 2022 and you will notice one of many beginning factors of Fitbit’s downsizing when the skill to sync music to your health tracker ended. Evidently, this has been a attempting time for customers.
In comparison with all the pieces else, the Google Account replace may be very gentle, which might be why Fitbit house owners are barely discussing it on social media. It is exhausting to think about why Google is aggressively diminishing Fitbit’s capabilities other than wanting the Pixel Watch to take heart stage. Hopefully, there are massive plans in retailer for the Fitbit health trackers. It will be a disgrace to scale back the gadgets to shadows of their former selves.
We actually consider in them. For that motive, make sure you try TechRadar’s latest roundup of the least expensive Fitbit offers we discovered for April 2023.