New upgrade coming to Fitbit wearables soon
Fitbits wearables Google Wallet may be a significant step forwards from Fitbit Pay. Google hasn’t done anything with Fitbit since acquiring it for $2.1 billion. Regarding app integration and complexity, Fitbits wearables does seem to be a part of the future Pixel Watch, but so far, the wearables manufacturer has mostly been left to its own devices.
There is now some proof that Fitbit wearables could be making a very tiny initial move towards advancing the interests of its new parent firm. According to an analysis of the most recent Google Play Services software by 9to5Google(opens in new tab), Google Wallet will be integrated with Fitbit Pay, opening up payment options that aren’t presently supported.
The website discovered and made accessible a secret menu that displays Google Wallet on a square watch that remarkably resembles the future v Versa 4 and Sense 2 devices (which, of course, look very similar to their predecessors).
The label “Fitbit watch illustration” is present in the code for the visuals, thus this similarity is not a coincidence.
Ever since the Fitbit wearables Ionic debuted in late 2017, Fitbit Pay has been a feature of the brand’s premium wearables. It uses NFC technology and is built on Coin’s platform, which Fitbit acquired the year prior(opens in new tab).
By nation, the amount of accepted banks (opens in a separate tab) vary greatly. While the US offers a very sizable amount, the UK, where I am, has a far smaller selection. For me and, I would guess, the majority of British users, Google Wallet would be preferred.
According to the website, the function is still in its early stages of development, so it is difficult to predict exactly how it will be implemented. However, according to the present working hypothesis, it will function in conjunction with Fitbit Pay rather than as a straight replacement, as seen by the code that reads “Fitbit Wallet”
This may come off as a little lacklustre because it would mean that Google Wallet just offers more payment options rather than non-payment cards and passes. However, as 9to5Google notes, there is one significant benefit to integration over replacement: it would be backwards compatible with earlier Fitbit Pay-enabled devices. That implies that it will be available for the majority of the top Fitbit models, including many versions of the Versa and Charge as well as the Ionic.
The “Charge 6” is mentioned as a device inside the software, which is a reference to the company’s high-end fitness band series.
It’s not immediately obvious if this is a placeholder or something that is being actively worked on, even though Fitbit’s release of the sixth Charge looks very certain.
The company’s upcoming products appear to be the Fitbit wearables Sense 2 and Versa 4, although Google’s first Pixel Watch will probably be released before. Along with the Pixel 7, the wearable has a fall delivery date guaranteed.
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