Google and Pitbit (Pixabay photography, ice system, networks)
Google will acquire the wearable technology company Pitbit, the EU confirmed today (Thursday). According to the details of the deal, the approving committee has set a number of rules that Google must abide by in the next decade to close the deal.
Under the agreement, Google will be prohibited from using the health information of Pitbit users. The EU is demanding a separation between Pitbit’s and Google’s databases to ensure this: “We can approve Pitbit’s proposed acquisition by Google, subject to commitments that the wearable products market remains open and competitive,” said EU Vice President Margaret Westger.
“The commitments will determine how Google can use the data collected for advertising purposes, how interoperability between competing wearable devices and Android can be maintained and how users can continue to share health and fitness data, if they so choose,” she added.
Will Google meet the conditions? In the EU there are fears
Some lawmakers and Google competitors have expressed concern that the acquisition of Pitbit could infringe on the privacy of users of the wearable technology company and increase Google’s dominance. Google, for its part, has insisted the deal concerns Pitbit’s hardware and does not gain access to its coveted health data.
“We believe this deal will spur innovation on wearable devices and allow us to build products that will help people lead healthier lives,” a Google spokesman said in a statement. “We understand that the regulators wanted to take a closer look at this deal, and we have worked with them to resolve their concerns, including the range of binding legal obligations that the European Commission has received today.”
“We are committed to protecting the privacy of Fitbit users and will continue to invest in and support manufacturers and developers. We continue to work with regulators around the world to answer their purchase questions.”
Fitbit is one of the leading manufacturers of wearable devices in the world and is located in San Francisco. The company has sold more than 100 million devices to date and boasts 28 million users. The acquisition of Pitbit will help Google compete with Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Garmin in the wearable products market.
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