Google to buy wearables maker Fitbit for $2.1bn

Google has agreed to buy Fitbit for $2.1 billion in a move giving the US tech giant an entry into the wearable technology space, the two companies announced Friday.

The move comes with Google seeking to expand beyond its core business of online search into hardware, and with Fitbit struggling against rivals including Apple.

“We have built a trusted brand that supports more than 28 million active users around the globe who rely on our products to live a healthier, more active life,” Fitbit co-founder and chief executive James Park said in a statement by the two firms announcing the deal.