Google axes Fitbit co-founders, undergoes major organizational shift
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Google has fired several senior Fitbit executives including the company’s co-founders – James Park and Eric Friedman.
The company is also laying off employees within the Devices and Services teams, responsible for creating products such as Nest, Fitbit, and Pixel, it said in a statement to 9to5Google.
The tech giant acquired Fitbit back in November of 2018 for around $2.1 billion. Google has terminated hundreds of employees from the Augmented Reality division, which indicates that the company might stop working on its own AR hardware.
Earlier, operated independently, focusing on diverse aspects such as hardware engineering, design, user interface, and software. The hardware division resembled a distinct entity, managing smartphones, smart homes, and wearables.
According to a recent report from 9to5Google, Google appears to be restructuring, by adopting a functional organizational model. This involves consolidating into a unified team handling hardware development for products like Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit.
Moreover, there's an indication that a single individual will oversee all of Google's hardware efforts, though it remains uncertain if this shift will streamline the tech giant's diverse product lineup.
