Fitbit says it’s ‘to support an improved experience coming soon’
Google completed its Fitbit acquisition in January 2021, and since then, we’ve seen Google flirt with bringing its services, including Maps and Wallet, to Fitbit wearables. Google’s Pixel Watch also benefits from Fitbit integration, including features like Sleep Profile. Now the acquirer is changing things on Fitbit’s website, removing the option to use Google sign-in — confusingly, to make way for the service’s Google-account-only future.
Today, Fitbit’s companion app for wearables allows you to sign in using a fitbit.com username-password combo, or continue using a Google account. On the website, you can currently authenticate yourself either using Fitbit credentials or by using a Continue with Google button. Soon, as spotted by 9to5Google, Google will be deprecating the website’s Google sign-in option. According to a new alert message on the Fitbit website, you will need to create a Google account (assuming you don’t already have one) to set up new Fitbit smartwatches and fitness trackers in the coming years. We’ve known these changes were coming for months, but the prominent warning is a new development.
To make this transition, Google wants to ensure everyone remembers their Fitbit account login credentials, so they can migrate their data to a Google account when the time comes. The website encourages returning users to reset their password or change their associated email address if required. Google further clarifies:
“We are removing the option to log in to your account on fitbit.com with your Google credentials to support an improved experience coming soon.”
Remember this change will be gradual, and users can keep using their current Fitbit accounts until 2025. There’s no timeline specified for the transition’s completion, but you will have to consent to transfer the data from Fitbit to Google. Hopefully, the transition goes smoothly without the loss of user data. For now, just jog your memory for your Fitbit login credentials if you haven’t used them in a while.
