Google now wants all users with Fitbit accounts to move to Google accounts in early 2025 instead for the use of Fitbit devices and features, for which they will also share, closer to the end of support for Fitbit accounts, a more precise schedule breaking down the last phases of account migration.
Initially, according to an updated support page, it will be in 2023 when the use of a Google account is already necessary for “some uses” in Fitbit devices and functionsalthough the new Fitbit accounts that are created from next year will already be necessary to have a Google account to activate new devices and use their functions.
In that year, users will be able to continue using their existing Fitbit accounts or they will already have the possibility to migrate to Google accounts to use their login to access Fitbit features in addition to having access to the usual features of Google accounts.
Towards the disappearance of Fitbit user accounts
From Google they try to convince users by listing the advantages of having a Google account to access Fitbit such as strong security protections, centralized privacy options, and more.
In this way, Google begins to push users who until now have been using Fitbit accounts for Fitbit devices and functions to have Google accounts, hoping that at least early 2025, all users have already migrated their accounts.
This move shouldn’t be surprising given that something similar happened with the Nest acquisition, meaning that over time, Nest account users have had to migrate to Google accounts to continue using Nest devices and features.
Similarly, other technological giants have also come to do the same with users who had been using accounts of the companies that the giants came to acquire, as is the clear case of Oculus accounts.
But the drawback in this case is found in Google’s commitment that it contracted in 2020 with the European Commission to keep Fitbit user data separate from data from Google services for at least ten years.
Asked Google by The Verge, a Google spokesperson points out the following:
Google accounts on Fitbit will continue to fully comply with our commitments to global regulators. After a user signs up or switches to a Google account, we will continue to keep Fitbit users’ health and wellness data separate from Google Ads data and this data will not be used for Google Ads.
Over time we will see if the migrations are carried out satisfactorily or if there is an obstacle along the way.
