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Vic Gundotra (VP Google) said back when Microsoft bought Nokia that "two turkeys don't make an eagle". Google officially has become the Microosft of the mid 20

• slightwinder 7y ago
  Google has a long and successful history of acquisitions, as also a long history of lack of direction and headless actions even in their youth days. It's probably just natural for a company with too much money to invest that way.
  • nathanyukai 7y ago
    But when a company becomes big, they do have to branch out and try a bit of different things right? otherwise they are just relying on a few income source, and potentially miss the opportunity of the next big hit?
  • windexh8er 7y ago
    A long and success history of acquisitions doesn't mean Google has any advantage of taking a poorly performing acquisition (Fitbit) and stacking it into a failing division of theirs (Wear OS). Google would be better off starting over. But Google wants data and Fitbit comes with data for cheap, IMO.
    • jsight 7y ago
      Alternatively, you could view this as a recognition that Wear OS has failed along with a plan to move to Fitbit as a software platform. If they can combine Fitbit's software and community with better hardware, they might actually have a good product here. Or they could just end up with Wear OS on worse hardware and a disaster.
    • dyarosla 7y ago
      Fitbit also comes with users, brand recognition and goodwill.
      • OnlineGladiator 7y ago
        How valuable is the brand these days? It's certainly already declining, and many people consider their products inferior quality. I am currently wearing a fitbit and have already had to deal with it not working twice today, and it's not even noon.
        • dyarosla 7y ago
          Fitbit maintains #2 market share in fitness watches and has always been a non-premium quality, mid-to-low end entry wearable.
          • OnlineGladiator 7y ago
            Maybe it's because I'm not a marketing guy, but when has buying the less-than-best company at anything ever resulted in turning it around to earn more marketshare? Especially when that brand is already known for lower quality. If you buy the first loser, you're just paying more to lose. Also according to this Fitbit is #5 in terms of devices sold (which make them look much worse when you consider how cheap some of their products are), and they have been steadily declining for years. They went from 45% just 5 years ago to 6% this year. That is horrible. Unless Google has an ulterior motive, like primarily using FitBit as a source of data for targeted ads, this is a bad acquisition. https://www.statista.com/statistics/435944/quarterly-wearables-shipments-worldwide-market-share-by-vendor/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/435944/quarterly-wearabl...
  • pmlnr 7y ago
    Please point at some of those successful Google acquisitions - the more I think about it the less I can point at anything apart from Android.
    • hk__2 7y ago
      YouTube?
    • 0xB31B1B 7y ago
      Double click, Youtube, waze...
    • mswift42 7y ago
      Youtube
    • slightwinder 7y ago
      Might be because the big names are from their first decade, and in the last decade they focussed more on integrating companies, or are still working on making aquisations a success. Google Maps and Earth started from an aquisation. Youtube was right out bought by them. Google Groups, Picassa, Blogger, Google Docs are more, though a bit less successfull.
  • scarface74 7y ago
    What long and successful history? The only one that I can think of that was a definite success is Android. Their only notable hardware acquisitions that I can think of were Motorola which was a disaster, Nest which is barely muddling along, and the semi-acquisition of HTC’s hardware team that made the Pixel. While the Pixel may be a great phone, it isn’t taking the world by storm
    • 0xB31B1B 7y ago
      Doubeclick, Youtube, Waze...
      • jsjohnst 7y ago
        One could argue they’ve almost ruined Waze since acquiring it.
        • jsight 7y ago
          I tend to agree, but it has also improved Google Maps, so maybe it is still a plus for the business overall?
          • jsjohnst 7y ago
            I agree Google Maps has improved, but I’m not convinced it was directly because of acquiring Waze. Waze UX has dropped so much since acquisition that its almost to the painful point. I also find it’s “user submitted” data (cops, construction, pot holes) has dropped a lot so I feel a lot of folks who were submitting quality data have either left or just stopped submitting as the UX has gotten so bad. Keyhole is another acquisition in the mapping space that I feel has degraded since being acquired by Google. I was a paying customer of Keyhole and loved it, since becoming free under Google, it’s basically stagnated and some of the features I used are now gone.
            • jsight 7y ago
              > I agree Google Maps has improved, but I’m not convinced it was directly because of acquiring Waze. They often include Waze reported events in Google Maps now. That was the part that I was referring to. I'm not sure if Google Maps reported issues feed back into Waze as well, but I would expect them to.
  • machinecoffee 7y ago
    As the owner of a Nest (pre-Google acquisition), I can only say that it's not been a positive experience for me. Condescending emails about how many 'leafs' I've earned every few months and forcing me to login to the device over Google instead of my Nest account is what I'm faced with now.
    • ubercore 7y ago
      I purchased a first generation Nest, and I remember getting emails about leafs for as long as I've had it. I don't think that one is on Google
  • vineyardmike 7y ago
    If a company has too much money to invest, give it back to investors and let them direct the money more efficiently.
• perseusprime11 7y ago
  This makes perfect sense given the success of Apple in the wearables market. If Google's software and Fitbit's hardware can work closely, then they may have some wearables that could be good competition for Apple Watch.
• AgloeDreams 7y ago
  I mean two turkey's don't make an eagle, but a gun and a bullet are not very lethal on their own. Fitbit's sales are good and it's platform is not, Google's platform is good and it's sales are not. Easy fix.
  • fragmede 7y ago
    What do you mean by "platform", in this context? Google's wearOS hasn't proved popular with users.
    • AgloeDreams 7y ago
      That was exactly my point, capability of the software, from a technical standpoint WearOS is miles ahead of anything Fitbit will have for 5+ years, but lacks the user count and apps needed. (though by using existing Android notification reply functionality they are still really far ahead in some ways.) From a user quantity factor Fitbit is miles ahead. Mix the two and you get a great (and difficult to make popular without breakout products) WearOS platform with the great user base Fitbit brings.
• mav3rick 7y ago
  Completely cherry picked a statement to fit your narrative. Google has done quite well with critical acquisitions. Wear OS is struggling .. this is a good buy they can afford.
• partiallypro 7y ago
  I don't think this analogy really works here, the reason the Nokia acquisition didn't work is because it was too late. Microsoft was simply too late to make the necessary changes to compete on the OS level and they kept changing development kits entirely driving away developers and consumers.
  • hajile 7y ago
    The issues seem even deeper there. In the US, the Nokia brand had basically disappeared outside of Symbian pre-paid feature phones which isn't a great association to have. In Europe, a lot of people seemed unhappy with the switch to Windows Phone and killing Meego/SwipeUI (the n9 sold gangbusters considering it wasn't available in any of the Nokia markets that could actually afford an expensive smartphone). Finally, lots of people were upset that Europe's flagship phonemaker was sold off to Microsoft and then gutted costing a ton of good-paying jobs. Next, there's the general issue that the MS brand is a bit poisonous to a lot of people. Windows has (somewhat undeservedly) a pretty bad reputation with performance, bloat/slowdowns, and reliability. When Android and iOS basically "just work" and Windows not being necessary, not a lot of people want to deal with perceived potential issues (real or imaginary). Finally, on the development side, most of the people making apps didn't seem keen on the Windows Phone platform and their passive neglect was a huge complication (supposedly, even multi-million dollar incentives couldn't get the devs on board).
  • jsight 7y ago
    I don't see how it could have been too late. Nokia switched to MS way before the acquisition. It wasn't successful for a lot of reasons and I don't think an earlier acquisition would have really changed that.
    • partiallypro 7y ago
      I didn't say the acquisition was too late, I said Microsoft pivoted too slowly in mobile.
      • com2kid 7y ago
• bjornjaja 7y ago
  How do you know what they are going to do with Fitbit? Companies attacking others with rhetoric is no different than standard “vote for my comprehensive plan, not theirs” politics. Truthfully, with AI chips in fitbits who knows what they’ll be able to use it for
  • dcbadacd 7y ago
    Fitbit with Google's Soli sounds... futuristic the very least.
• jchook 7y ago
  80% to 90% of Google’s revenue derives from collecting your personal information, and you think that buying a wristband that tracks the biometrics of 25 million people is “just for the sake of it”?
  • sixothree 7y ago
    Right. Google seems to never have created or bought a product that did not collect data in a new way. It's the only question I ask when I see a new product from them - "What new data is this giving them?"
  • ameister14 7y ago
    80-90% of Google's revenue derives from organizing your personal information and selling ad products derived from it. It's not a direct transfer of data into cash. I'm not sure people really need biometrics data to advertise to you more effectively.
    • gnicholas 7y ago
      It’s not just biometrics — now they’ll now where you are. Lots of people who don’t already have android phones will buy these (or carry them when not carrying their androids). So google will know what stores you’re near, what people you’re near, and for how long.
      • torgian 7y ago
        Google knew where you were long before fitbit. It's called Directions API.
        • gnicholas 7y ago
          I use Apple maps, and I only use navigation when traveling long distances.
    • netsharc 7y ago
      Well... what else does Fitbit's cloud store? How often you exercise? Where you do it? What sorts of exercise? Check out these running shorts, keep cool in the summer! Carbon fibre kayak paddles are on sale! Or, when it's noticed a lull, and kmows you're influencable: Hire this personal trainer to get you back exercising!
• jariel 7y ago
  I think it's the opposite: Apple is growing its accessories line quite dramatically - this and 'services' are where all the new bottom line growth is. Extending their brand into consumer products + their 'home portfolio' is actually a strong 'vision' not lack thereof. I suggest however, that their phone, home etc. might well be done under a separate brand, while still under the Google umbrella.
• agumonkey 7y ago
  eunalogy methinks
• woodgrainz 7y ago
  Apple buys self-driving car startup Drive.ai to compete with the leader Google and others in the autonomous space, as it's own efforts flounder. [1] It's fun to play this game! [1] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/26/apple-buys-autonomous-vehicle-start-up-driveai.html https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/26/apple-buys-autonomous-vehicl...
• iainmerrick 7y ago
  Vic Gundotra, the Google+ guy? What makes him a useful authority?
• Mc_Big_G 7y ago
  They're obviously buying them for the data. It's the new gold.
• shadowgovt 7y ago
  I don't think this is undirected. Google doesn't talk about it much, but the founders are still interested in the kind of non-dystopia cyberpunk future where a personal assistant is virtually perched on your shoulder, helping you get through your day like a non-invasive cyber-butler. It's the notion that drove Glass and drives Home and Assistant. Having an in on medical observation technology fits into that mold. I doubt they'd publicize that as their goal until and unless they have something to show for it though.
• luckydata 7y ago
  What has Vic ever done to be mentioned as thought leader?
• auiya 7y ago
  Vic headed up the Google+ effort, killed Reader, and probably isn't the best example of Google leadership to quote.
  • BenoitEssiambre 7y ago
    I still have PTSD from that murder. It really launched a new google era as the company that tries to hurt internet users as much as possible.
• jvagner 7y ago
  The company that can't even put the right sized batteries in their latest mobile product probably can't spin this purchase into gold. Some of what they struggle with shouldn't be as hard as they seem to make it...