Fitbit Pay’s days may be numbered

It’s been more than 2 years considering that Google plopped down $ 2.1 billion for Fitbit, however there hasn’t been much combination in between the 2 business’ items so far. That appears like it’ll alter this fall. Not just is the upcoming Pixel Watch set to get a glossy Fitbit combination, however it likewise appears that the reported Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 may have some kind of Google Wallet combination.

According to 9to5Google, the most recent variation of Android’s Play Services reveals indications that Google Wallet– that includes Google Pay– is including Fitbit smartwatch assistance. That consists of a brand-new menu with graphics looking like a “squircle” Fitbit smartwatch. The images are likewise identified as a “Fitbit watch illustration.” (You can see the images here) It’s not obvious whether Google Wallet is changing Fitbit Pay totally or if it’s an alternative choice in the method that Samsung smartwatches now enable you to download Google Wallet. 9to5Google asserts that it may likewise be a method of including Google Wallet to Fitbit Pay as a way of allowing the service for older watches.

Right now, the only genuine connection in between Fitbit and Google on the wrist is Google Assistant. Beginning with the Versa 2, the only digital assistant you might utilize on Fitbit gadgets was Alexa. Following the Google acquisition, Fitbit later on included Google Assistant as an alternative on the Versa 3 and Sense That made Fitbit gadgets amongst the very first wearables that let you pick in between 2 digital assistants. (You can now do the very same on Samsung Galaxy smartwatches operating on Wear OS 3.)

Adding Google Assistant on Fitbits was an apparent option. Alexa was currently on Fitbit’s gadgets. There’s no other way Google would permit its greatest competitor in the digital assistant area to be the just alternative on among its devices. The option to include Google Wallet, nevertheless, is possibly a death knell for Fitbit Pay. The service has actually constantly been a little bit picky. While accepted by a great deal of banks and transit systems(a minimum of in the United States), it’s a little gamer in the contactless payments world. And, its UI isn’t as smooth as Google Pay, Apple Pay, or Samsung Pay.

In any case, the variety of leakages relating to the Sense 2 and Versa 4 would recommend that we’re most likely to hear something brand-new from Fitbit quickly. We need to have the ability to obtain more than about what Fitbit’s future trajectory will appear like now that Google is increase its wearable efforts. For now, it appears that the 2 business are on track towards more combination, ala Google and Nest. The genuine concern is if Fitbit can keep its own identity in the long term– or if by this time next year, we’ll be seeing a Google Fitbit Versa 5.