Fitbit, the company that was acquired by Google in 2021, and responsible for designing and marketing sport-focused wearables, is now more integrated within the brand with a subtle but striking change in its name: Google Fitbit. With this move, the company makes it clear that this name will be its commercial spearhead to continue making its way in the competitive sports wearables segment.
There are many brands in that segment, since sports bracelets or connected watches are much more affordable than smartwatches, which, in addition to having exercise functions, also have other valuable services, such as NFC payment, notification control, and other functions more associated with being an extension of the smartphone.
Subtle but important change in branding
As pointed out by 9to5google, the Californian company has made a change in the branding of its sports wearables brand by adding the letter G to its main name. In this way, Fitbit as a brand becomes Google Fitbit, with two names that come together to compete more fiercely against the fierce competition of cheap wearables.
Fitbit has been one of the leading brands in the industry for a few years now, so this move by Google comes to further strengthen the position of this brand in the market. However, despite its good performance, the Fitbit department did not escape the tough layoffs that took place in recent months.
A tough restructuring at Google
The earthquake of layoffs that occurred at Google between late 2023 and early 2024 is still recent, during which many segments were seriously diminished to unify into one team. Fitbit, now Google Fitbit, was one of the brands most affected by this change, which will now have to rely on synergies within the wearables department of the American company.
There has been very little talk about Fitbit in recent months due to the uncertainty that existed in this department (as well as in many others), as there were many doubts about the approach that Google would want to take in the future with this brand. Now it is known that they want to make it more their own than ever, since Fitbit, now Google Fitbit, is now more integrated within the company’s branding than before.
