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From: VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH>
Newsgroups: comp.mobile.android
Subject: Re: For privacy, what is a suitable alternative to the Google FitBit app on Android?
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Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2025 01:49:42 -0600
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NOTE: Since Andrew posted in comp.mobile.android to get us to waste our
time trying to do his alternative lookups on similar de-Googled apps,
I'm keeping this discussion in the same newsgroup, and only that
newsgroup.  His cross-posting to alt.privacy and sci.geo.satellite-nav
were removed from my reply.

Andrew <andys@nospam.com> wrote:

> If anyone has a Google Account set up on Android, then they have forfeited
> their right to privacy - but luckily Android works fine without adding a
> Google Account integral to the operating system in Settings > Accounts.
>  <https://i.postimg.cc/x1NZwj5G/account02.jpg>
> 
> In a recent thread, it was observed that the Google FitBit app
> automatically infested Android with a parasitic Google Account.
>  *What can't you do on Android WITHOUT a Google Account set up in the OS?*
>  <https://www.novabbs.com/computers/article-flat.php?id=56585&group=comp.mobile.android#56585>
> 
> To test that privacy observation, I just moments ago downloaded the latest
> FitBit app from the Google Play Store repository <com.fitbit.FitbitMobile>.
> 
> It asked me to choose "Sign in with Google" or "Sign in with Fitbit".
> 
> Clicking "Sign in with Fitbit" doesn't seem to allow me to *create* a
> FitBit account, and "Sign in with Google" says, very clearly this:
> 
>  *The [Google] account will be added to this device*
>  <https://i.postimg.cc/7ZRtbdHN/fitbit01.jpg>

Google acquired Fitbit for $2.1B back in January 2021, and is mandating
moving from Fitbit accounts to Google accounts sometime this year.  Even
if you manage to create a Fitbit account, or you had one before, you're
still creating or using a Google-owned account.

> Obviously, that's a dangerous app in terms of privacy since you forfeit
> your right to privacy when you add an account integral to Android settings.
> 
> That means we need to find a suitable *alternative* to the FitBit app.
> What is it?

Theo mentioned the Gadgetbridge app, but doesn't know how it fares in a
comparison of features to the Fitbit app, especially regarding the
premium services for Fitbit that always required an account (at Fitbit,
and now at Google).  

There isn't much info as to just what Gadgetbridge does other than
connect the gadget (e.g., Fitbit watch) to the Android phone.  From:

https://gadgetbridge.org/basics/features/

looks like it shows some data from the gadget device.  Might be
something of interest to you in your quest to protest Google by
disconnecting from Google.

I've seen Strava suggested as an alternative to the Fitbit app.  An
account is needed with Strava if you want to participate in their
communities, or get premium features.  The same was true for Fitbit if
you wanted the premium features.  However, looks like basic features are
free, and don't require an account, but I haven't tested Strava yet.
Even if their app installed and ran without a Strava account, but you
then added premium services that require an account, you're swapping
Strava for Google.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.strava
https://www.strava.com/

I'm going to bookmark the Strava app to see if it works on my old
Android 8 phone with the Fitbit wrist device, but without any extras or
subscriptions that mandate the requirement an account.  Unlike the
Fitbit app which upped the minimum Android version to 10 which meant I
couldn't reinstall it to start using it again, the Strava app's About at
the Play Store says their app is compatible with my old phone.
Hopefully their "free" app with in-app purchases isn't spamware that
nags me with buying extras.

At first, their description makes the Strava app look to use your
smartphone as the tracking/recording device for your health and
activities, but there is mention about working with compatible wrist
devices (Fitbit is one of them), and a compatibility list at:

https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/223297187-How-to-get-your-Activities-to-Strava#devices

What leaves me a bit leery about Strava is the hyperlink for
instructions on linking a Fitbit device to the Strava phone app has you
visit:

https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/216918087-Fitbit-and-Strava

which has a hyperlink to:

https://strava.fitbit.com/

Well, remember who owns the fitbit.com domain now?  Yep, Google.  When
you click on "Connect", you go to:

https://www.strava.com/login

You can login using Google, Apple, or Facebook logins (on the phone), or
use an e-mail address.  Since I wouldn't initially trust them, I'd login
with an e-mail address and password, and use an aliased e-mail address
to hide my true e-mail address.  If they block logging in with an
aliasing service, I'll have to create a temporary Hotmail account, watch
it for 6 months checking for spam from them.