I wish Google would open up the Fitbit to other smartwatches

Every time a new Wear OS watch is released, I’m intrigued. I’ve been using this platform for almost ten years now and I love trying out new watches to see what they offer in terms of functionality, comfort, battery life, etc. For example, the OnePlus Watch 2 really caught my eye with its excellent dual operating system and battery life with dual processor support.

But there’s one thing stopping me from switching to OnePlus’ latest offering or Samsung’s excellent Galaxy Watch 6 series, and that’s the Fitbit. Look, I’ve been using Fitbit trackers for over ten years. All my stats are there, all my patterns, my ups and downs, and my best and worst days. I’m used to the platform and I know how to interpret the data on any given day because I know what my historical data looks like. So I’m sticking with the Pixel Watch 2 because it offers me the best Fitbit functionality among Wear OS watches. But what if — listen to me — Fitbit was no longer exclusive to the Pixel Watch?

I’d like to be able to use my Fitbit with other Wear OS smartwatches, and Google can make this happen in two ways:

• Either make the Fitbit app downloadable on any Wear OS watch, then install it and run like a system app, with all the battery-friendliness and background permissions.
• Or open up Fitbit’s API so that third-party watch manufacturers such as OnePlus and TicWatch no longer need to develop their own half-baked health and fitness solutions for their smartwatches.

Because, honestly, users like me don’t need more health platforms that barely talk to each other. Yes, I know Health Connect exists, but each health provider can still limit what can be exported or imported from their app, which limits the usefulness of the service. For example, I can’t sync my period from Oura to Fitbit or vice versa, which is important historical data for me and my body that I can’t leave behind if I migrate.

When things get so confusing—and let’s not forget that Google Fit exists, too—I can’t bring myself to rely on Health Connect to keep my stats in sync across multiple services. I can’t rely on that if I choose to change platforms every year or two. So I’d rather stick with the Pixel Watch 2 and its Fitbit stats than jump between different health platforms.

every time i or my Android Authority Colleagues test other health platforms. OnePlus’ watches can track a lot of data, but the OHealth app is very basic compared to the Fitbit app. Samsung Health, on the other hand, still lags behind Fitbit’s sleep tracking and algorithms. Let’s not talk about other solutions from Mobvoi, Xiaomi and other companies.

Aside from Garmin and Apple’s apps (which are only compatible with their respective watches), I haven’t come across a health platform I’d rather use than Fitbit.

Google is currently pushing smartwatch manufacturers toward fragmentation rather than a unified health platform. It owns Fitbit, and it could easily decide to make Fitbit the de facto fitness tracking software on Android.

Instead, any smartwatch maker looking to launch a new Wear OS watch faces a huge hurdle. They had to build companion applications from scratch and health services from scratch. It’s not easy.

Collecting data on different types of exercise, studying sleep stages, and understanding heart rate zones—none of these are tasks for hardware companies. OnePlus had to build three health labs, hire more than 100 people, establish university partnerships, and build some in-house algorithms to provide exercise and health tracking in its OHealth app. No wonder Fossil got out of the smartwatch business because it was a barrier to entry!

If Google made Fitbit’s algorithms and expertise available through Wear OS, it would reduce the investment required for any watchmaker to build a new watch. It can also collect more user data than the algorithm unique to the Pixel Watch series. As we all know, data is money.

For those wondering about exclusivity and competition, here’s what I say: If Samsung making Android phones isn’t a threat to Pixel phones, then I don’t see why offering a Fitbit on the Galaxy Watch 6 is a threat to the Pixel Watch.

Look, I don’t know if this is going to happen, but it makes sense to me. So I’m throwing that wish out there now and hoping it comes true at some point. And I’d say, “Ah, look, I told you Google should do this!”

Until then, I hope I can switch to a OnePlus Watch or Galaxy Watch at some point in the future without losing access to my Fitbit data. On the other hand, there is no need to wear Fitbit trackers on both wrists.