Google has long been criticized by users and critics for its belated development of Wear operating systems. Though the company has refused to weed it out along with its other products in recent years, the Fitbit acquisition has once again put the future of the operating system in question.
Our C. Scott Brown makes a compelling case here as to why buying Fitbit is jeopardizing the future of Wear OS, but we wanted to ask you that too. Do you think Google’s move on Fitbit is the final nail in the Wear OS coffin? Here’s what you told us:
Will Google’s acquisition of Fitbit be the death knell for Wear OS?
Apply OS survey results
We only gave you two options in this survey. Although the results are pretty close, there is one option that stands above the other.
Just under 54% of respondents believe that the purchase of Fitbit by Google signals the death of Wear OS. It’s a surprisingly nihilistic take on Google’s wearables Push, but not without reason. The company has preserved a number of promising products over the past several years – products that appear to be less stagnant than Wear OS.
See also: The Best Smartwatches You Can Buy | The best Wear OS watches you can get
However, not everyone feels that way. Just over 46% of respondents believe that Wear OS will not be deleted from Google. The comments also largely reflect this. A number of readers believe that if Google closes something, it will be Fitbit itself. Others also highlight the possibility of the two platforms coexisting. Read more hot takes below.
Here’s what you told us:
- NothingUnknown: Google already killed Wear OS by neglecting the crap. The more important question is whether the Fitbit acquisition is Fitbit’s death.
- Phantom: I think it’s easier for Google to fix all of this and adapt it to Wear OS than to start over. Combined with Fitbit’s sports tracking sensors and all of their expertise in the field, it could work wonders and become the best smartwatch platform out there.
- NateCress: Another possibility not considered here is that Fitbit OS will eventually close. Fitbit OS may be retained for existing Fitbit devices, and future Google Fitbit devices may use an updated Wear OS 3.0 that incorporates the insights from Fitbit OS, while Google Fitbit is the new “Pixel” brand for the brand’s wearables Google uses. We may even see a Wear OS Lite version for trackers.
- AJAS: Google will do what Google does. It’s going to screw up both Fitbit and Wear OS.
- Nundo: No way. Google has already made it clear that Fitbit’s services should be integrated into Wear OS. What that means remains to be seen. The problem with Wear OS is that it is a modified version of Android that has been modified for wearables. Fitbit, on the other hand, was built from the ground up for wearables, but it’s very limited. Hope google keeps both and makes up for them.
- MarnixK: From my point of view, Google will deal with it exactly as they are doing the transition from Android TV to Google TV.
- Kris: One argument against Google to give up WearOS entirely is the recent work on the Wear library. The latest update is January 21st. Google developers aren’t cheap. The fact that they are adding developer resources to the Wear library suggests that they want to support WearOS for the foreseeable future.
That’s it for this Wear OS survey. Thanks to those who voted and commented. If you have any other thoughts about Wear OS and Fitbit, or the results of this survey, please drop them below.