Fitbit users are mad, and Google’s solution won’t help


Fitbit users haven’t been too pleased as of late, but while there’s a lot that Google could do to make things better, its latest announcement ain’t it.
At its The Check Up event earlier today, Google announced it’s opening up more of Fitbit’s Health Metrics Dashboard to nonsubscribers. The company says that any user with a compatible device — aka a Pixel Watch or Fitbit device — will be able to view their daily, weekly, monthly, and 90-day trends for breathing rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, oxygen saturation, and resting heart rate. Nonsubscribers will also get personalized insights whenever their data deviates from their long-term baselines.
It’s always nice to see companies add extra value to free tiers. That said, this move isn’t necessarily about that. At today’s event, Google hinted that increasing accessibility helps with product and feature development. It also touted Fitbit’s achievements in developing an FDA-cleared passive A-fib monitoring algorithm, and the insights gleaned from Fitbit’s Sleep Profile feature. From the event, it’s not hard to see what Google views as Fitbit’s greatest strengths.
It’s also a sign that Google doesn’t fully grasp what Fitbit’s biggest problems are right now.
For starters, today’s announcement isn’t as impressive as it might seem at first glance. When the Health Metrics Dashboard was initially introduced, it was a Premium exclusive. Then, in 2021, Fitbit expanded access to the dashboard across some of its older products and allowed nonsubscribers to view their daily and seven-day trends. What today’s move really does is add 30-day and 90-day trend views and any associated insights that come with longer-term monitoring. It was only a matter of time before these metrics were moved out from behind the Fitbit Premium paywall.
That trajectory also implies that data itself isn’t enough to keep Fitbit users happy and willing to cough up the $80 annual Fitbit Premium fee. Over the past month, Fitbit has experienced several server outages and angered longtime users who were fans of its community features, which will be sunsetted later this month. On forums and social media, Fitbit users have also shared stories of less than stellar customer service interactions, particularly regarding failed attempts at returning recalled Fitbit Ionic watches.
Fitbit has been a leader in health tech software for the past decade. However, those nifty features and FDA-cleared algorithms were born from the data of millions of active Fitbit users, many of whom are increasingly fed up and have told The Verge that they’re considering alternative options. Google is right that to continue innovating in the space, Fitbit (and thereby Google) needs a strong, loyal user base to pull data from. But removing metrics from behind paywalls will only do so much. Fixing server problems, offering alternatives to legacy features, and resisting the urge to change too much all at once? That’ll probably go a lot further in keeping the Fitbit faithful happy than a few extra data points.
Fitbit users haven’t been too pleased as of late, but while there’s a lot that Google could do to make things better, its latest announcement ain’t it. At its The Check Up event earlier today, Google announced it’s opening up more of Fitbit’s Health Metrics Dashboard to nonsubscribers. The company…
Recent Posts
- Rivian’s new Dune edition lets you channel your inner Fremen
- Here’s when and where you can preorder the new iPhone 16E
- The Humane AI Pin debacle is a reminder that AI alone doesn’t make a compelling product
- This 1.9-pound smartphone’s massive battery offers six months of standby
- Movie sales – including 4K Blu-ray – fell again last year, but if you’re going streaming only, you’re massively missing out
Archives
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- September 2018
- October 2017
- December 2011
- August 2010