Fitbit looks as though it is acquiring the wearable upstart Pebble for what Fitbit describes as a “small amount”. There are now speculations that the motive for this consolidation move by Fitbit is based on the fitness tracker giant’s desire for Pebble’s smartwatch intellectual property and software.
Fitbit is certainly looking add Pebble as a feather in their wearable technology cap. After all, Pebble was on the cutting edge with a great smartwatch on the market in 2013, way ahead of many of the latest entries in the wearable space by large corporates after a piece of the huge smartwatch pie.
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What does this mean for Pebble Smartwatch users?
While this is unclear now, there is wide speculation that Fitbit could shut down or phase out Pebble products once the deal is done, thereby leaving an unsure future for continued support. This is particularly interesting as Pebble just released their latest smartwatch, Pebble 2, only two months ago.
But from reviewing Fitbit’s past history of attention to customer service and corporate image, it would be surprising if they wouldn’t continue to support products that were previously released under the Pebble umbrella of wearable products.
The past year has been a particularly challenging one for the Pebble manufacturer as they have experienced some financial challenges resulting in venture capital funding efforts as well as debt funding and loans.