14 DAY TRIAL // Google announced last year that it plans to take over wearable device manufacturer Fitbit for $2.1 billion, but the deal is still waiting for regulatory approval across the world.
The acquisition, however, is about to hit a new roadblock in Europe where the EU plans to launch an antitrust probe that could take as much as four months.
According to a report from Reuters, the EU antitrust watchdog wants to “explore in depth the use of data in healthcare.”
Needless to say, neither Google nor Fitbit commented on the report, with an official announcement to be made next week. The antitrust probe could kick off on August 4, the report adds.
“The wearables space is crowded, and we believe the combination of Google and Fitbit’s hardware efforts will increase competition in the sector, benefiting consumers and making the next generation of devices better and more affordable,” a Google spokeswoman said.
Google won’t access Fitbit data
Google originally promised it would not access Fitbit health data and users would still remain in full control of their information.
“Consumer trust is paramount to Fitbit. Strong privacy and security guidelines have been part of Fitbit’s DNA since day one, and this will not change. Fitbit will continue to put users in control of their data and will remain transparent about the data it collects and why. The company never sells personal information, and Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads,” Fitbit said in a press release.
With the possible antitrust probe likely to expand over the next four months, it’s pretty clear that the Google Fitbit takeover won’t complete anytime soon. If the search giant does receive regulatory approval and the EU agrees to let the deal go through, an announcement in this regard is very unlikely to be made before late November or December.