The European Commission approved Google’s acquisition of Fitbit following an in-depth probe into competition and privacy implications. The final clearance is subject to the tech giant keeping its promises around data use.
The EC said in a statement that its assessment of the competitive landscape of the digital health sector together with commitments made by Google had persuaded it to clear the deal. The EC noted it had also received comments from parties concerned Google would grasp a dominant position in the digital health sector after closing the deal.
During its investigation the EC dismissed sector competition issues on the grounds Europe’s digital health sector was still nascent, with many active players. It also noted Fitbit has a limited market share in Europe in the fast-growing smartwatch segment where many larger competitors are present, such as Apple, Garmin and Samsung.
To try and appease privacy concerns, Google made a series of promises to the EC earlier this year covering data separation and opt-in facilities for users. The pledges are valid for ten years. Google also made commitments around the use of open access to APIs in an attempt to appease any competition worries. “The commitments will ensure that the market for wearables and the nascent digital health space will remain open and competitive,“ said Margrethe Vestager, EC EVP and Competition Commissoner.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has initiated a formal investigation into Apple, Samsung, and Google regarding allegations that the companies have utilized patented audio technology without authorization.
SES has outlined strategic plans to establish direct-to-device (D2D) satellite manufacturing capabilities and a specialized supply chain within Europe in partnership with Elveo Mobile.
Automated systems and bots now generate more than half of internet traffic, forcing hosting companies to manage performance, security, and infrastructure costs at the same time. Ivan Čačija argues that business users are no longer buying only storage and computing resources, but the availability and performance of their own operations. AI will reshape both data-centre management and infrastructure requirements, while regional providers can compete through local presence, predictable costs and hybrid models. Fastserver sees its partnership with Blackwall as part of a broader shift towards an integrated platform combining infrastructure, security, traffic protection and automation.
