Google decides to pull Fitbit from South Africa

[rvZA]

Business tech news website TechCentral broke the story late Wednesday that Fitbit is withdrawing from the South African market.

This is line with parent company Google's decision not to sell consumer devices in the country, writes Duncan McLeod.

MSN

 

[Currantly]

who what what

 

[rvZA]

I am very surprised that we still get Gmail and related services here in SA.

 

[6spdmanual]

I am very surprised that we still get Gmail and related services here in SA.

Google would be losing a crap tone of money by fully leaving SA.

 

[Speedster]

I am very surprised that we still get Gmail and related services here in SA.

Yeah. I'm pretty sure they'll be blocking access to their web search next month.

 

[yebocan]

Yeah. I'm pretty sure they'll be blocking access to their web search next month.

yep, The Google Equiano undersea cable system ... guess they rolling that up and taking it with them as well...

 

[Speedster]

yep, The Google Equiano undersea cable system ... guess they rolling that up and taking it with them as well...

And they won't renew Google mobile services licences for Android sales in South Africa.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

“to align our hardware portfolio to map closer to Pixel’s regional availability”

that's the part that sucks more actually, more takers for Pixel phones than fitbit in ZA no doubt

 

[Claymore]

Typical Google, buy a company to get their product, run it for a bit, and then kill the well-loved product. I'm surprised Gmail still works.

 

[Speedster]

Typical Google, buy a company to get their product, run it for a bit, and then kill the well-loved product. I'm surprised Gmail still works.

They're not killing the product

 

[yebocan]

And they won't renew Google mobile services licences for Android sales in South Africa.

guess will have to rely on government to roll out a new OS for Android devices, Mzanzi OS ... we are so screwed.... - Google Playstore, gone...welcome, Mzansi Kraal ....

 

[Claymore]

They're not killing the product

I'm saving your reply for when they kill the product.

 

[Speedster]

I'm saving your reply for when they kill the product.

Does rebranding / incorporating the product in the Pixel line count as killing it?

 

[rvZA]

Does rebranding / incorporating the product in the Pixel line count as killing it?

No product in this world will die simply because it is pulled from SA. Our country is too small and economy irrelevant for that. It will just cut losses, costs and thrive better abroad. Probably one of the reasons why companies like Google and Tesla operates this way. South Africa is no longer this powerhouse economy we saw 30 years ago. It now ranks in there with DRC and the likes.

 

[airborne]

Why not sell their full product range in Sa?
It can’t be logistics?

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Why not sell their full product range in Sa?
It can’t be logistics?

Because reasons. I'm guessing it's some legislative/ICASA/MNO BS or something when it comes to rolling out updates...

 

[FiestaST]

Like two of us said in the main Fitbit thread only a matter of time till the Big G completely pulls the Fitbit line & incorporates it into the Pixel watch.

 

[Claymore]

Does rebranding / incorporating the product in the Pixel line count as killing it?

That's what they do. Incorporate some tech in other products, and kill the original.

There's even a list! https://killedbygoogle.com

 

[Sworaxe]

Because reasons. I'm guessing it's some legislative/ICASA/MNO BS or something when it comes to rolling out updates...

South Africa joins a host of countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America where Google stopped selling Fitbit.

In Europe, these are Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia.

In Asia, Fitbit is no longer being sold in Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Google has also pulled Fitbit out of Mexico and the broader Latin America.

 

[Speedster]

As an uneducated Garmin wearer, what does Fitbit add to the market that the other manufacturers don't?