Pixel Watch 3 marks the end of the road for Fitbit smartwatches

It’s been three years since Google acquired Fitbit, and the landscape of smartwatches has shifted significantly in that time frame. Last week at the Made By Google event, the company unveiled the Pixel Watch 3, and with it the writing on the wall is now confirmed that Fitbit will no longer be making smartwatches and instead will continue focusing efforts on minimalist, long-lasting fitness/activity trackers.

Time for a shift

In an interview with Engadget, Sandeep Waraich, the senior director of product management for Pixel Wearables, confirmed that “Pixel Watch is our smartwatch part of the portfolio.” Going forward, everything from Fitbit will be focused on trackers.

Waraich explained that users are looking for discreet devices with long battery life and a simple experience. As an example, Fitbit’s Inspire line embodies these qualities, making it a natural focus for the company. While the Sense 2 and Versa 4 will remain available, a Google spokesperson stated that “Pixel Watches are our next iteration of smartwatch for Fitbit.”

The development of Pixel watches has been a collaborative effort between Google and Fitbit teams, with Google’s expertise in machine learning and Fitbit’s deep knowledge of data and signal capture. This team effort has resulted in advanced features like heart rate algorithms tailored to specific workouts and more.

Fitbit is not going anywhere

Fitbit remains a valuable brand for Google, and the Fitbit app continues to serve a large user base seeking a simple way to track their health. Waraich emphasized that the Fitbit app is deeply integrated into the Pixel Watch, not just an app on the device. And with Pixel Watch 3, this integration goes further than ever before.

With trackers and Pixel watches now capable of accurately logging activity, Waraich sees an opportunity to move beyond tracking to coaching and real-time guidance. The Pixel Watch 3 exemplifies this shift, offering Fitbit Premium users AI-generated customized workouts based on their activity and recovery.

And while it may be surprising to see Fitbit step away from smartwatches, this strategic move allows the company to focus on its strengths and leverage AI to provide more personalized health and fitness experiences. Fitbit and Fitbit Premium are here to stay, and though we may not see another Fitbit-branded smartwatch, the Pixel Watch delivers in that segment in ways the Versa and Sense lines never did.