So this is how Google will monetize your Fitbit data

I’ve been a dedicated Fitbit fan for almost five years. Since the company bought my beloved Pebble, I have been using some of the best Fitbit wearables to track my workouts, steps and sleep. One of the things I value most about the Fitbit experience is the ability to go back in time to see how my activity, weight or statistics have changed over time, but if a recent email I received from the company is an indication, this free ability to look at my own historical fitness data may be about to disappear.

According to a customer survey that Fitbit recently sent via email, it appears that Google may have found a way to monetize Fitbit data for users who follow their commitment to regulators not to use that data for advertising purposes. So, how do they plan to do that? Our favorite “s” words – signatures!

Personally, I’m still very excited about the prospect of new Fitbit hardware under Google’s guidance and can’t wait to see what the first Google / Fitbit smartwatch will look like. In the past few weeks and months, we’ve already begun to see useful features like Google Assistant coming to Versa 3 and Sense watches, and you can even view your Fitbit sleep data on Google Assistant smart monitors. The company is also presenting its Fitbit products on the Google Store.

According to Google’s chief hardware officer, Rick Osterloh, one of the main promises Google made to regulators when it agreed to acquire Fitbit was that the deal was about “devices, not data” and that health and wellness data being of consumers would not be “used for Google ads.” I hope Google will keep those promises, but the simple fact is that, no matter how many attempts it makes in the hardware space, Google is first and foremost a software company. Actually, cross that out, Google is a Dice company. Given that, you really didn’t expect Google to no to explore ways to monetize your new treasure trove of health and wellness data, isn’t it?

According to previous research, it appears that Google is testing subscription waters and exploring additional layers and options for the Fitbit Premium service. Fitbit Premium currently offers subscribers metrics and detailed health analysis, as well as guidance on how to interpret and act on this data. There are also guided meditation, wellness and fitness programs, and the option to pay a little more for personalized exercise plans.

Fitbit Premium is facing stiff competition from Apple and Peleton, so it makes sense for Google to want to get more out of it.

If any of the new layers are implemented, Fitbit customers can receive cheaper and premium versions of Fitbit Premium, with fewer or more options available for price differences. Everything is fine, but what concerns me is the cheapest option that the survey asked. This would “give” users access to historical fitness data, something we have had for free since the launch of the first Fitbit trackers.

To be clear, there would still be a “free” layer that would offer limited historical insights (perhaps for a month or more). However, unless you pay at least the basic level, you will no longer be able to see how much you slept that week in April 2018 or look at the rush of that vacation two years ago.

On one level, I fully understand what Google / Fitbit is trying to do with this research. They want to assess how valuable these services are to their fan base – which makes perfect sense. Many sustainable apps and services have changed to some form of subscription model, and for all that Fitbit offers, I’m sure many will see the value in paying for these services. However, it would be it really sucks if Google puts that lifetime data behind paid access, especially for those of us who have many years of data to show for our loyalty.

Google / Fitbit is in danger of losing loyal people a long time ago, like me.

If this basic level of Fitbit Premium really happens, I hope that Google will advance it to older users or give a long introductory offer like Fitbit did for those who bought an Inspire 2, Versa 3 or Sense. Otherwise, I suspect it will lose many of its loyal fan base, probably me included. After all, there are a ton of great smartwatches and fitness trackers available to choose from!

A galaxy of possibilities

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