It’s interesting times for wearables right now – and a new mystery fitness tracker landing at the FCC could be about to add to the melee.
A new filing for a fitness tracker has landed, which has been submitted by Google LLP.
That’s notable, as this is either the first time Google has launched a fitness tracker of its own (!), or, the first time Google has asserted itself on Fitbit's regulatory filings (zzz).
So what do we know? Well, this looks to be a pretty basic tracker as only Bluetooth is listed on the spec sheet (as opposed to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) so it looks to be either the Inspire or Ace range.
9to5Google has done some sleuthing and found that the FCC filing lists regulatory information to be found using the exact location within the menu system as Fitbit. Thus, it must be one of Fitbit's basic trackers.
And given the Inspire 3 was only refreshed – to great effect last year – it looks like the Fitbit Ace kids tracker or Luxe 2. Or it could be a whole new entry to the range.
Google has been stripping back the Fitbit range in recent months, finding smartwatch features on the Versa/Charge/Sense that compete with Pixel Watch and removing them. It’s also given the Fitbit app a huge overhaul.
The Pixel Watch 2 looks odds-on to be launched this Fall, so this fitness tracker could join it.
If it’s simply a revamped Ace 3 kids tracker or Luxe 2, then that’s not too seismic a change.
But if Google was to launch this as some kind of Pixel Band, and drop the Fitbit branding altogether, that would be a huge moment in the history of wearables.
All eyes are also on Google to see whether it will keep the Versa and Sense line-ups, in the face of the Pixel Watch.
It certainly seems that the wearables market is moving on from fitness trackers.
We’ve already seen Xiaomi refrain from launching its Mi Band 8 in the West (so far), although new rumors state this could happen in October.
And the fitness trackers we have seen blur the lines with smartwatches considerably.
All we know is that this is set to be a busy Fall for wearable tech, but one that could change the landscape as well.
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.