Google to buy FitBit, The biggest independent wearables company

Google’s parent company Alphabet is reportedly in talks to buy wearable device firm Fitbit. 

The acquisition would allow the US technology giant to enter a crowded market for fitness trackers and smartwatches, which rivals like Apple and Samsung have been developing in recent years.

There is no certainty that the negotiations will lead to any deal, sources told the Reuters press agency, speaking on condition of anonymity. They did not reveal what sort of amounts were being offered.  

Fitbit’s fitness trackers monitor users’ daily steps, calories burned and distance travelled. They also measure floors climbed, sleep duration and quality, and heart rate.

Analysts have said that much of the company’s value may now lie in its health data.​

In August, Fitbit said it had signed a contract with the Singapore government to provide fitness trackers and services in a health program it said could reach up to 1 million users.