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  Technology   In Other news  11 Dec 2019  US Justice Department to review Google's deal for Fitbit

US Justice Department to review Google's deal for Fitbit

REUTERS
Published : Dec 11, 2019, 4:38 pm IST
Updated : Dec 11, 2019, 4:38 pm IST

The 2.1 billion USD deal by which tech giant Google acquired fitness tracker maker Fitbit, is under investigation by the US Justice dept.

The US Justice Department will review plans by Alphabet Inc-owned Google to buy fitness tracker maker Fitbit Inc for possible antitrust issues (Photo: AP0
 The US Justice Department will review plans by Alphabet Inc-owned Google to buy fitness tracker maker Fitbit Inc for possible antitrust issues (Photo: AP0

The US Justice Department will review plans by Alphabet Inc-owned Google to buy fitness tracker maker Fitbit Inc for possible antitrust issues, a source told Reuters on Tuesday.

The 2.1 billion USD deal will give search and advertising giant Google the capability to take on Apple and Samsung in the crowded market for fitness trackers and smart watches. It was announced on Nov. 1.

Watchdog groups like Public Citizen and the Center for Digital Democracy, among others, have urged antitrust enforcers to block the deal on the grounds that it will give Google even more data about American consumers.

The New York Post was the first to report that the Justice Department will review the merger. The Federal Trade Commission also reviews mergers and could have investigated Google’s deal for Fitbit.

Big tech companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon.com and Apple face a slew of antitrust probes by the federal government, state attorneys general and congress.

Tags: fitbit, google, fitness trackers