Is Google Fitbit in trouble? Website shutdown revitalizes concern about the brand's future

Is Fitbit in trouble?

9to5Google spotted that Fitbit.com, the official website for the popular brand of wearable fitness trackers, is not long for this world. At the top of the page is a new message stating that the site's functions will move to the Google Store on Oct. 1.

This came only about six months after Google updated the site's branding to read "Google Fitbit" instead of "Fitbit by Google."

SEE ALSO: We're already seeing price drops on select Fitbit models ahead of October Prime Day

Is FitBit in danger?

Back in July, Google shut down the popular web interface for looking at Fitbit health metrics, forcing users to use a mobile app that, at least at the time, didn't have as many features as the web interface.

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In mid-August, Engadget claimed that Google is demoting the Fitbit brand to focus on minimalist, fitness trackers with long battery life instead of high-end smartwatches that are full of wide-ranging features. A few days later, TechRadar claimed that Google "quietly confirmed" that it will stop producing FitBit Versa and Sense models.

However, in a statement to Ars Technica, Google claimed that TechRadar's reporting was "inaccurate," adding the following:

"We are very committed to Fitbit, and even more importantly to the customers that use and depend on those products and technology. It's also worth noting that many of the health and fitness features we launched in Pixel Watch 3 were because of Fitbit's innovation and ground-breaking fitness advancements. In addition, we just launched Fitbit Ace LTE, and you’ll continue to see new products and innovation from Fitbit."

Based on these reports, it appears that Google is prioritizing the Pixel Watch series while gradually shifting away from the Fitbit "smartwatches," focusing instead on simpler Fitbit fitness trackers. As such, FitBit.com is likely getting shutdown because it'd be redundant; Google can simply sell Fitbit wearables via the Google Store.

Google bought Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2019 and hasn't manufactured any new Fitbit watches since 2022. If you go to the Fitbit product page in the Google store, the Pixel Watch 3 (which is made to work with the Fitbit Premium subscription service) takes precedence over actual Fitbit models.

This is speculation, but it looks like the move here is to encourage Fitbit users to buy Pixel Watches instead. That's Google's prerogative, but longtime Fitbit users also have the right to be unhappy about it.