(Credit: Fitbit/René Ramos)
Good news for fitness fans: Google says that it is "very committed" to the Fitbit brand.
Earlier this week, TechRadar speculated that the launch of the Pixel Watch 3 meant the end for Fitbit smartwatches. The Pixel Watch 3 offers wearers a Daily Readiness Score, for example, which used to be hidden behind the Fitbit Premium subscription.
A Google spokesperson tells PCMag, however, that the company is "very committed to Fitbit, and even more importantly to the customers that use and depend on those products and technology."
"Many of the health and fitness features we launched in Pixel Watch 3 were because of Fitbit's innovation and ground-breaking fitness advancements," Google adds. "In addition, we just launched Fitbit Ace LTE, and you’ll continue to see new products and innovations from Fitbit."
The Fitbit Ace LTE is a kid-friendly smartwatch that offers engaging games and friendly digital mascots that encourage kids to get active, along with useful parental controls and GPS tracking.
Part of the confusion seems to have stemmed from another Google spokesperson telling Engadget that "Pixel Watches are our next iteration of smartwatch for Fitbit."
There's been some blurring of the lines between the Fitbit and Google brands, as is to be expected following an acquisition. Fitbit users will need to move to a Google account by 2025, for example, and the Pixel Watch 3 is listed prominently on the Fitbit website. In March, Google also announced plans to drop support for third-party Fitbit apps and watch faces in the European Union due to the Digital Markets Act.
It’s also possible that Google is adding the Daily Readiness Score to the Pixel Watch 3 because it's feeling pressure to compete with Samsung and Oura, both of which have similar readiness ratings in their smart rings.