Google, please don't kill the basic Fitbit trackers

Supply: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central

Not too long ago, Google introduced that it was buying the health wearables model Fitbit in a deal valued at simply over two billion {dollars}. There was an excessive amount of debate (no less than in tech circles) on what this implies for Google, for Fitbit, and for customers and their knowledge privateness. Will Google kill off the Fitbit model and transfer the expertise to the WearOS group? Will they develop that long-awaited Pixel Watch? Will they drive Fitbit into the bottom and promote it for elements like they did Motorola?

These are all legitimate questions, however I am not right here to speak about any of that proper now. Do not get me fallacious, I care a terrific deal about these points, notably about what Google plans to do with the treasure trove of present Fitbit person knowledge, and the way it plans to securely handle that knowledge shifting ahead.

No, what I would like proper now's to offer a voice to the not nerdy and the practically nerdy... these of us who love our Fitbits as a result of they're good health trackers, not as a result of they're tiny wrist computer systems or communications units. Inside my techie bubble, I really feel like I is perhaps a little bit of an outcast on this regard, however I might additionally prefer to suppose that I am not alone. Except for my very own anecdotal observations, which I will get to shortly, I needed to first take a fast take a look at what the business knowledge says about wearable tendencies with the intention to higher put my arguments and emotions in context.

Fitbit's wearables standing the metrics of health trackers

Supply: Joe Maring / Android Central

Fitbit is an icon on the earth of health trackers, and its thoughts share for wearables is unparalleled, with the apparent exception of the Apple Watch. Certainly, regardless of years of monetary decline, a current report by Canalys reveals that Fitbit remains to be in a stable second place when it comes to wearable market share, trailing Apple however comfortably forward of Samsung, Garmin, Fossil, and different producers. Little question the wearables breakdown for Apple, Samsung, and Garmin is closely skewed towards smartwatches, however Fitbit's breakdown HAS to pattern extra in direction of their health bands just like the Cost 3, Encourage and Encourage HR, and even child's variations just like the Ace 2. Heck, I might wager there are nonetheless a good variety of Cost 2s and Altas within the gross sales combine as properly.

Fitbit is #2 in wearables proper now, and nearly all of these gross sales are primary health trackers.

Certainly, Fitbit's personal monetary stories bear this assumption out, displaying that over 65% of their income got here from these particular trackers that I discussed above (and the Versa Lite). Their knowledge additionally reveals that primary tracker income elevated by 51% year-over-year on the time of the report.

Supply: Fitbit

Like most people who find themselves listening to this kind of factor, I've undoubtedly observed Apple Watches take over because the dominant wearable out in the true world. However they don't seem to be the one tracker I see every day. As a result of my household and I are runners, I see a ton of Garmin working watches, and I've even caught a uncommon Galaxy Watch sighting within the wild. However the trackers I see second most to Apple Watches are nonetheless Fitbits (and not the Versas or Ionics). I do know that is purely anecdotal, however I dwell in a reasonably large metropolis and journey across the nation and internationally on a considerably common foundation, and this sample is fairly constant wherever I am going.

Name me primary the deserves of health trackers

Supply: Joe Maring / Android Central

Name me primary, however I do not care. I've tried smartwatches from Apple, Pebble, and sure, even Fitbit, however I've at all times come again to the usual health tracker. In truth, I am at the moment sporting a Fitbit Cost 3, particular version (sure, that is my furry arm on the high of this text). I have been seduced by the promise of notification triage, easy textual content responses, and checking the climate or my Twitter feed on my wrist, and I've at all times come away feeling like all that connectivity and performance wasn't actually value it for me.

Name me primary, however I like the non-smartwatch trackers.

I've talked to lots of people who put on an ordinary Fitbit tracker about why they prefer it over one thing like a conventional watch and even an Apple Watch, and I are likely to get a reasonably normal set of solutions. Thoughts you, this isn't simply individuals in my age group, however individuals twenty or extra years youthful than me as properly. I feel there are 4 elementary the reason why people nonetheless love their Fitbits — wearability, ease of use, affordability, and reliability.. or, WEAR (sure, I went there). Let me clarify...

Before everything, we love our Fitbit trackers due to how they really feel. Bands just like the Cost Three or Encourage HR are usually not very broad or thick, and thus do not feel like Grampa's previous clunky retirement watch. Heck, most of us sleep with our Fitbits for the wonderful sleep knowledge they supply, and we might by no means really feel snug doing that with one thing bulkier. Lots of people from my technology (Gen X for all times!) and right down to my children' age did not actually develop up with a conventional wristwatch, so placing one thing like that on our wrists feels overseas. I've additionally discovered Fitbit trackers to be common with ladies, kids, and people with smaller wrists who really feel that these are much less obtrusive on their arm. The health bands can be dressed as much as appear like good bracelets and even jewellery or dressed down for health actions with out wanting misplaced. That versatility appears extra obvious on a smaller band than on a bigger watch, no less than for a lot of.

Supply: Daniel Bader / Android Central

Secondly, I contemplate myself extra tech-savvy than most individuals I do know (you'd hope so, contemplating my job), however I've to confess that I actually admire the ease-of-use {that a} primary health tracker affords me. The entire knowledge that I care about seeing (time, steps, energy, sleep knowledge, and some different metrics) is true there on my wrist, and I do not even want to take a look at the app if I do not need to. Sure, I can see push notifications, however TBH I've turned nearly all of these off as a result of I've realized to understand having no less than far from the unending stream of notifications and responses. I do know that you would be able to filter your notifications on one thing like an Apple Watch, however with a lot extra functionality comes extra temptation to reply. I'm studying to worth the disconnect a bit extra nowadays, and I admire that my primary health tracker would not tempt me any additional.

I additionally suppose that the easy design and scaled-down interface of those trackers makes them really feel much less threatening to those that are usually not so tech-savvy. If Google kills the essential tracker and takes away that non-threatening vector of well being knowledge, they is perhaps capturing themselves within the foot, notably on the subject of studying extra in regards to the well being of the very younger and the very previous.

Thirdly, and let's not look over this, however health trackers are far more reasonably priced than most smartwatches, and in my view, they're a greater worth for the cash. A brand-new Cost Three is about $150, and you will get a brand new Encourage for round $70. Evaluate that to an Apple Watch Collection 5 that begins at $399, and you may see the place we'd scoff a bit on the value. Plus, smartwatches usually tend to turn into out of date throughout their lifetime than a health tracker that does not have refined software program to take care of or improve.

Lastly, we come to reliability. Admittedly, I stretched this a bit to suit my acronym, however hear me out. Not solely do I feel you will get an extended, extra helpful life out of a primary health tracker (my son, who breaks EVERYTHING, has had his Alta HR for over three years!), however they last more in day by day/weekly use. I like that I can reliably get nearly a full week out of my Cost 3, and which means I can put on it to mattress each evening to trace my sleep patterns. It could not imply a lot to you, nevertheless it issues a terrific deal to me. I simply can't get that type of reliability from most smartwatches at this level.

Hashtag #Savethetrackers

I implore Google to maintain the essential Fitbit health trackers round for a very long time to come back, not solely as a result of they nonetheless maintain important market share within the wearables area, however as a result of they maintain even larger thoughts share amongst informal health followers. I nonetheless really feel that for most individuals, it is simpler to swallow spending round $100-$150 for a couple of good years of health monitoring, and I feel these bands really feel much less advanced, much less cumbersome, much less distracting, and fairly frankly, much less threatening for a lot of. If Google actually desires to be a participant within the health knowledge area, I feel the worth of Fitbit's model — the belief that individuals have of their health trackers can go a good distance into seeing that they succeed.

My favourite health band

Fitbit Cost 3

All that I want

The Fitbit Cost Three has a five-plus day battery life and does a incredible job of monitoring exercises, coronary heart fee, and sleep. You may also reply to primary notifications on Android.

Smaller footprint

Fitbit Encourage HR

Small and delicate

The Fitbit Encourage HR is common not simply because it could monitor all the essential health and sleep knowledge you want, however its small and delicate look is snug to put on and might go along with any outfit.

We might earn a fee for purchases utilizing our hyperlinks. Study extra.