14 DAY TRIAL // Google is still waiting to receive regulatory approval for Fitbit’s takeover, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the search company isn’t already planning in advance.
A recent APK teardown performed by 9to5Google reveals something that everybody knew it was going to happen but which for some reason Google never wanted to talk about: Google Assistant is coming to Fitbit devices, and the first model that could get it is the Versa 2.
Back in late 2019 when it announced Fitbit’s takeover, Google more or less suggested the wearable device manufacturer would remain independent, albeit everybody knew some sort of integration with Google services was supposed to happen.
And since the deal is yet to be completed, very little is known in this regard, yet this APK teardown suggests that the search company is ready to make the first step in this regard.
Alexa and Google Assistant
At this point, Fitbit Versa 2 comes with Amazon Alexa, so a digital assistant is already offered on the device. Is Alexa going away once Google Assistant makes its debut on Fitbit’s devices? Not quite.
By the looks of things, Google will allow multiple assistants to be installed on Fitbit smartwatches, but only one can be enabled. In other words, if you activate Google Assistant, which I’m pretty most people would do anyway, Alexa is automatically disabled. What’s more interesting to find out is what assistant Fitbit plans to offer enabled by default on its new models though.
Another interesting tidbit concerns the way users are going to interact with Google Assistant. Versa 2 doesn’t have a speaker to let wearers hear assistant prompts, but on the other hand, it features a microphone and a side button that lets you launch the assistant.
At the same time, there’s a chance that Google isn’t necessarily planning to bring its assistant to existing Fitbit models, but to new smartwatches launching in the coming years under its own umbrella. If this is the case, expect Fitbit models to be improved with new hardware that would allow better interaction with Google Assistant, including new microphones and speakers.