Google just changed Fitbit smartwatches in a big way, and you're not going to like it (Update)

Update: March 22, 2024 (12:36 PM ET): A Google spokesperson has reached out to Android Authority to confirm that EU owners will still have access to the third-party apps and clock faces they’ve downloaded. This means you won’t be able to download new third-party apps or watch faces after June 2024, but you’ll be able to continue using the ones sitting in your library.

Original article: March 22, 2024 (11:27 AM ET): If you’re a Fitbit owner in the EU, Google is about to make a change that could have a big impact on how you use your device. These owners will no longer be able to download and install third-party apps and clock faces in the next few months.

In a support page on the Fitbit Help Center, Google announced it will remove third-party apps and clock faces from the Fitbit app gallery for users in the EU. The company says this decision was made after “a careful assessment of the impact of new regulatory requirements.” Google doesn’t elaborate on what regulatory requirements it is referring to, but it is likely talking about the Digital Markets Act (DMA), or maybe some other regulation that was recently implemented.

These apps are scheduled to be removed from the Fitbit app gallery in June 2024. The firm states that EU users will be able to continue downloading and installing third-party apps and watch faces until this date. However, Google doesn’t clarify if already installed third-party apps and watch faces will continue to work after June.

These changes will affect the Fitbit Sense 2, Fitbit Sense, Fitbit Versa 4, Fitbit Versa 3, Fitbit Versa 2, Fitbit Versa Lite, Fitbit Versa, and Fitbit Ionic. It’s important to note that Fitbit trackers, as well as both generations of the Pixel Watch, appear to be unaffected by the change.

Google adds that after June, EU Fitbit users will have access to “a diverse gallery of apps and clocks developed by Fitbit and Google.” If you’re a Fitbit user who lives outside of the EU, you won’t be impacted by this decision.

Android Authority has reached out to Google for comment. We will update this article if and when new information is available.