Back in 2019, Google acquired Fitbit for a reported $2.1 billion. Since that time, Google has pretty much kept its nose out of Fitbit’s business, that is, unit recently. With the introduction of the company’s latest fitness wearables, the “Fitbit by Google” branding popped up not only on its products but also on its website. Now it looks like the integration will go even further as the Fitbit support website has listed that it will require users to have a Google account in the near future.

On the official support website, it outlines the differences between a Fitbit and Google account and how starting in 2023, the company will enable the use of a Google account for Fitbit products and services. Once Google accounts are launched, users can continue to use a Fitbit account or switch over to a Google account. The support page also states that there will be some elements of Fitbit that will require a Google account, like when signing up for a new account or when activating a new product. But the biggest change will arrive in early 2025. At this point, users will be forced to transition to a Google account. While a concrete date hasn’t been set, the company will send out notices once the time gets closer.

By having one unified account, users will see a number of benefits, like having a single login and improved security and privacy controls. Of course, Fitbit has pledged not to use any of the data obtained through the service for Google Ads. For now, this is all the information that is available. But, there should be plenty of warnings before the changes occur starting in 2023. For some, this might not be a big deal, but to others, it could impact them in a big way. If you’re not fond of the idea of having to create a Google account, it might be time to look for another fitness tracker. You can find some of the best recommendations in our product guide.

Source: Fitbit
Via: 9to5Google