Oct 28, 2019

Google parent company reportedly in talks to acquire Fitbit

Jacob Knutson

The Fitbit Versa smart watch. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. has made an offer to buy wearable device maker Fitbit Inc., according to Reuters.

Why it matters: Google has yet to develop any wearable smart devices like its competitors Apple and Samsung Electronics, but it could get a piece of the crowded market with Fitbit.

Yes, but: "There is no certainty that the negotiations between Google and Fitbit will lead to any deal," per Reuters.

  • The exact price that Google has offered for Fitbit is unknown.

The big picture: Fitbit has reportedly been exploring the possibility of a sale since September as it struggles to maintain a strong presence in the fitness tracker market.

Go deeper: Fitbit will move production out of China amid trade war

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Fadel Allassan

Google to acquire Fitbit for $2.1 billion

Photo: Lyu Liang/VCG via Getty Images

Google is buying Fitbit for $2.1 billion in a deal expected to close in 2020, the fitness company announced Friday.

Why it matters: It's an attempt by Google to "bolster its lineup of hardware products, which already includes smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart speakers. Fitbit makes a lineup of fitness-tracking devices, but has faced stiff competition from Apple after the introduction of the Apple Watch," The New York Times reports.

Go deeperArrowNov 1, 2019
Margaret Harding McGill

Data is the new antitrust battleground

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic are beginning to probe whether the biggest tech companies' handling of consumer data represents an unfair form of competition.

Why it matters: Consumer data is the fuel of the digital economy and the key to tech giants' market leverage. It is also challenging antitrust regulators’ ability to investigate competition issues, because today’s antitrust laws don’t specifically address data dynamics.

Go deeperArrowNov 13, 2019
Margaret Harding McGill

Google fights to limit sharing of information in antitrust probe

Google turned to a Texas court for help Thursday, fearing that a multistate antitrust probe could allow its rivals to gain access to sensitive information.

Driving the news: Google sought a protective order to limit the sharing of its confidential information in the states' antitrust investigation.

Go deeperArrowNov 1, 2019