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The acquisition deal may still be incomplete, but Google and Fitbit are already bridging the gap between the separate portable platforms of the two. No, Fitbit still has its own operating system, but this latest update to version 5.1 brings at least two of its smartwatches closer to Google’s Wear operating system. Beyond Amazon Alexa, Fitbit is now opening the doors of the Sense and Versa 3 to Google Assistant while adding more health monitoring features that make smartwatches even better than before.
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are definitely neck and neck in this market, but some will prefer one over the other, depending on what other devices they have at home. To give customers more choice, Fitbit OS 5.1 adds support for Google Assistant so you can control your smart devices at home, get updated on news and weather, or even book appointments. in the restaurant or in the service, even if you have no clothes. Smartwatch OS. One catch is that this feature is only available in the US at this time, with expansion to other markets later this year.
Fitbit also throws a bone at Alexa users, but only temporarily. The update offers the option to receive audible responses from Alexa right now, a feature that Fitbit says will arrive in its Google Assistant implementation in the first half of 2021.
Beyond the smart assistant functionality, the update also brings new capability to the SpO2 sensor in smartwatches. Blood oxygen levels can now be measured even during sleep and users will be able to track their levels in the Fitbit mobile app or, if they wish, always available at a glance, on one. of the seven new SpO2 dials coming later this year.
Fitbit is pretty much the granddaddy of smart wearable devices and some may have considered it too old to compete, especially against something like the Apple Watch. The company, however, still maintains a significant market share, especially for those less concerned with smartwatch apps, and this latest Fitbit OS 5.1 update gives users more things to do with their devices.
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