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Before the Apple Watch, there was Fitbit.
And it has recently become one of the few consumer technology companies to go public, now boasting a market value of more than $8.5 billion.
So we’re especially pleased to announce that Fitbit CEO James Park is joining the lineup for our Code/Mobile conference, which takes place October 7-8 at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Calif.
And we should have lots to talk about. While Fitbit has a large share of the fitness band market and actually turns a profit, its business is still nascent and faces plenty of competition from more full-featured wrist-wear, like the aforementioned Apple Watch.
“One of the biggest misperceptions about this category is that you can try to split it,” Park said in a recent interview. “I think over time there’s going to be more blending. A lot of our own products have merged features, like caller ID or different form factors. … And I think you’ll see more of that.”
Meanwhile, regulators will have a large say in the future of mobile. They allocate precious airwaves, sanction major mergers and ensure net neutrality.
That’s why we’re particularly thrilled to hear from Jessica Rosenworcel, a key member of the five-person Federal Communications Commission. The Obama appointee has been a vocal advocate for making good use of wireless spectrum and the need for the U.S. to get its act together with regard to next-generation cellular networks.
Park and Rosenworcel join a stellar lineup that already includes Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg, AT&T Mobile chief Glenn Lurie and Facebook’s David Marcus, plus some other well-known tech leaders whose names we can’t share just yet.
But you might want to buy your tickets now. Otherwise, you could be stuck watching the news on your phone rather than being part of the conversation.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
