Fitbit device at IFA Consumer Electronics Show in Berlin.
Photographer: Jacobia Dahm / Bloomberg
Photographer: Jacobia Dahm / Bloomberg
Google Alphabet Inc. has closed. owned $ 2.1 billion of Fitbit Inc. without the consent of the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a On a blog post Thursday, Google said it has completed the build and noted the company ‘s binding commitments to protect users’ privacy. Shortly after the blog was published, the Justice Department’s trust department issued a statement saying they had not signed the contract.
“Antitrust’s Department investigation into Google’s acquisition of Fitbit is ongoing,” said Alex Okuliar, deputy attorney general. “While the department has not yet reached a final decision on whether to pursue enforcement action, the department continues to investigate whether Google’s acquisition of Fitbit will harm competition and consumers in the country. United States. ”
The Justice Department ‘s investigation raises the possibility that the government could sue for the agreement to be released at a later date.
It was unclear why Google closed the purchase against a Justice Department investigation. The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Google announced its plans to buy Fitbit in November 2019, noting that it would use the smartwatch maker to develop its fragile hardware business. The agreement has challenged criticism and regulatory scrutiny in Europe and the US
European Union they agreed to take over in December after Google promised to maintain access for competitive health and fitness apps and tools to Google and Fitbit data.