If Google’s known for one thing in the tech community, it’s killing products. Sure, the company has no shortage of successes under its belt — you’re reading a site called Android Police, after all. But after well over a decade of routinely putting well-liked apps and devices out to pasture (and often prematurely, at that), it’s hard to say its reputation hasn’t been earned. This week, we’re about to add another lost application to the Google Graveyard, as Fitbit’s web dashboard shuts down for good.
If you aren’t familiar, Fitbit’s web dashboard was exactly what it sounded like: a way to manage your fitness tracking data all in one space. While it almost certainly wasn’t as popular as the company’s mobile app — you know, the one that got a total overhaul last year and is required when you set up a tracker — it’s not hard to find a vocal group of Fitbit users upset over this change. In fact, Google is facing a lot of criticism for this move, and it’s not hard to see why.
For starters, the company’s reasoning combines a lack of effort in updating the web app to hit feature parity with the mobile version — not the sort of excuse you want to hear from a company with literally limitless resources, like Google — with frustration around AI. The next big innovation planned from Fitbit is, of course, an LLM-powered toolset called Fitbit Labs, which is planned to launch in preview for select Android users later this year. The company’s priorities aren’t set on improving and iterating on existing services, but on ways to, presumably, make Fitbit Premium a more compelling subscription.
As usual for this sort of thing, people are not happy. It’s not hard to find frustrated Reddit users (seriously — some pretty brutal language in the comments on that link) to snarky coverage online. Ars Technica probably summed up everyone’s overall feelings best with its own headline announcing the change last month: “Google’s abuse of Fitbit continues with web app shutdown.” Rough stuff.
So, I’m curious: with Fitbit’s tracking services now working for both its own branded trackers and smartwatches and for Pixel Watch owners, how many AP readers out there are sad or frustrated over this upcoming closure? Did you actually use Fitbit’s web dashboard, or did you learn of its existence just in time for it to die a quick, painless death? Either way, enjoy your last day with this online tool — it dies tomorrow, July 8th.
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