Google acquires Fitbit! šŸ˜®

General Chat Tech & Gaming
24

I used to have a Withings but would recommend the EufyLife scales. Great value and far more reliable hardware (in my experience).

Also measured more variables (but Withings may have caught up by now?).

25

Iā€™m not holding my breath. Four Pixels in the hardware is still nothing special at all despite Google acquihiring 1000 HTC staff.

If they really want to get serious about wearables they need to start with putting together a kickass chip team that can make great silicon to power the devices. The Qualcomm SOCs are an absolute joke.

26

I disagree. The Pixel 4 XL is the best phone Google have ever made, and Iā€™ve owned damn near all of them since the G1 in 2008.

27

And how much of that is down to it having best in class hardware?

28

I have never understood the fascination with hardware, the best specs does not always equal best performance the iPhoneā€™s a prime example of that

1 Like
29

I wasnā€™t just referring to raw performance, but iPhones do run rings around Android phones (Apple are literally years ahead in chip design).

But even disregarding horsepower, who doesnā€™t want an amazing screen, minimal bezels, great battery life, a camera that takes great video and stills, an expected lifetime greater than 2-3 years of usageā€¦

I havenā€™t had a non Google Android phone since the HTC Desire, so Iā€™m hardly a hater. But it always involves some sort of compromise. That was easier to take when the phones werenā€™t pushing Ā£800.

30

Who keeps a phone longer than a year? I have only done it once with the pixel 2 :joy:

31

People on contract as the average length is 24 months.

1 Like
32

I was torn between the Pixel 4 XL and the OnePlus 7T Pro.

Pixel won because it feels like a premium Google experience with a real intent to merge hardware and software, a world class camera and just a little bit of Google madness which Soli is. It might not be hugely useful but it is massively fun and only Google could do it.

On paper the 7T Pro has what, another couple gigs of RAM, an overclocked CPU and the higher screen to body ratioā€¦ Thatā€™s cool. Not enough to sway me this year.

As for Apple being years ahead on chips. The data might indicate that to be true (although Iā€™ve seen YouTube speed tests where the P4XL bested the 11 Pro Max, so depends on criteria) but the experience doesnā€™t.

I have two contracts, my other phone is an XR from last year and the experience doesnā€™t feel anywhere near as smooth or premium as the Pixel 4 XL. And Apple want effectively the same price for the iPhone 11 this year which is essentially the same phone, or pretty damn close.

Iā€™m sure the Pro Max and last years XS hold up very well, but youā€™re looking at Ā£1k and above for those.

Although the RRP of the Pixel 4 XL is Ā£829, Google threw in an HP Chromebook 14 with all pre-orders. Thatā€™s a Ā£200, maybe even Ā£250 value Chromebook and that sealed the deal for me. And Iā€™d think they did that because theyā€™ll probably drop the price at Xmas or Black Friday.

I guess my point is that Google can deliver value ahead of what raw specs tell you. For me that means I donā€™t need them to be on the bleeding edge of specs. Theyā€™re on the bleeding edge when it comes to the camera and mad technology like Soli anyway.

1 Like
33

Havenā€™t had a contract in about 8 years

34

I had my 5S for nearly 7 years. Nothing wrong with it but Apple stopped support for it. R-

2 Likes
35

If google canā€™t find someone to build them a decent smart watch chip set, this wonā€™t make a huge difference. Google Wear is held back by the absolute horror show on the internals; where an Apple Watch is a couple of light years ahead on performance

36

Google should have taken the apple approach by now and started making their own silicon.

37

Apple donā€™t (yet) make their own siliconā€¦

Almost nobody does any more. TSMC are just too good at it.

38

But itā€™s apples design so itā€™s only purpose is for apple hardware.

Google use whatā€™s available so optimization is usually awful, pixel slate is a great example of that not working

39

Actually Google have a lot of hardware designed for them.

40

Not the processors though

41

time to buy fitbit shares?

42

Time to sell not buy

1 Like
43

I have a Fitbit Versa, much preferred it to my Apple Watch experience.

My main gripe was that Fitbit was stubborn and never integrated with Apple Health. I guess this means going forward, ā€œFitbitā€ will be available with Apple health.