European Fitbit owners have been dealt a huge blow as Google will remove all third-party apps and watch faces from all devices that exist in the European Economic Area. This includes the entire EU, but also non-members such as Iceland.
The tech giant has not made any formal announcements through the usual channels. Instead, it has opted to update the software management page on the website Fitbit Help Center website. It states that the changes will come into effect sometime in June 2024; an exact date was not given.
A full list of all affected models is publicly available. They include models like the Fitbit Sense 2, Versa 4 and the Ionic. Although with the latter you are probably better off getting rid of it as quickly as possible due to a defective battery that has caused serious burns.
Users can still install third-party apps on your wearable until June. After that, you only have access to first-party software from Google and Fitbit.
New rules
As to why Google is doing this, Google points the finger at “new legal requirements” within Europe. It’s not due to a US law, as the Help Center specifically states that “users in other countries will not be affected.” The company is deliberately vague, although it may have something to do with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA).
To oversimplify a complex law, the DMA was created in response to tech companies having an iron grip on their users and the tech industry as a whole. It should split the amount of power they possess. These companies have generally complied with the new rules to remain in Europe. One of the provisions these companies must adhere to is promoting better compatibility between first and third party software.
For the most part, things have been going smoothly, except for this current Fitbit situation. It’s the only blip in what has otherwise been a smooth transition for Google. Third-party apps may not be feasible under the new rules.
Analysis: It’s the same story
But there’s something strange about all this. Why only Fitbit and no other hardware? Well, we have a theory.
The reason why Google is removing third-party apps may be due to the company’s continued efforts to kill Fitbit, and the DMA is a good excuse to continue doing so. In recent years, Google has been cdreaming about what made Fitbit great in the past. Remove features here, remove access to music streaming there. It’s gotten to the point where Fitbit devices are a shadow of their former selves.
At first we thought, “Maybe Google wants to retain full control over their fitness trackers.” Perhaps they believe that the DMA will open the floodgates to bad actors creating malicious software for the wearables. It’s a safety problem.
But then the Pixel Watch is completely ignored and continues to support third-party apps in the EU. If Google is indeed concerned about the security of its wearables, we could see Pixel Watch devices undergo similar changes. However, that is not the case.
Please note: this is just a theory. Nothing has been officially said. We’ve reached out for comment and will update this story if we hear back.
In the meantime, check out TechRadr’s list of the best fitness trackers for 2024.