Integrate with iOS Health

[so-rich]

Hi there,

I'm really excited about Apple's announcement of the Health App in iOS 8 to be release this fall.  I'm looking forward to seeing a product announcement by Fitbit for a successor to the recalled Fitbit Force, and I'm really hoping to hear some exciting news about Fitbits intigration with Apple's new Health App to be released alongside iOS 8 this fall.  

This is a huge oportunity to make your devices even smarter and more integrated - Please support these APIs!  Thanks!

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity and labels.

[beccaj99]

It really is very silly for them to not have already done this.  Do they not feel it to be cost effective?  Integrating with new options will help keep your name out there and in the game.  Please do add this option for integration with Healthkit!!

[DCanoa]

Honestly, Fitbit are missing out with their exclusion of iOS8 Health. Because the Health app can pass information back to an app, in return to me seeing my fitbit data on the Health app, fitbit could request things like fat in take and diet calories aswell as sleep and heart beat rates, and program a super fitness platform. They could weigh a person's height/weight, and obtain BMI, sort of add Heart bpm, and find out how unhealthy or healthy we actually are, add the fat %, and find out how slow or fast we can burn energy/calories. Obviously sleep is also very important for help, so that could contribute somehow. Which would help us with further understanding our bodies and developing a fitness program. Even if it was a 'pro' feature where users payed a monthly fee to obtain the privilege, I think most people who are serious about fitness, would agree paying a considerable fee for such a program would be worth it. But what do I know... I'm just the guy who's going to end up buying an Apple Watch at this rate and dump by fitbit in the bin.

[CameronSmiff]

No, if they charged a fee (for what EVERYONE else is offering for free), I think there'd be an even bigger uproar.

[EmilyEL]

Hi there @chrisg100 Thanks for your feedback! I went ahead and merged your idea with the existing thread on the same topic. Please add your vote in support of this idea.

[cpatterson]

If Fitbit doesn't incorporate with HealthKit, it's likely I will no longer use Fitbit.  Simple as that.

[camelothosting]

well I see at least a moderator has shown up and ony managed to tow the company line

[RickyFitbit]

At Fitbit, our mission is to help people lead healthier, more active lives, so we’re always looking for ways that our users can use their data to support their fitness goals. For the past few years, we’ve been the leader in developing direct partnerships through our open API with hundreds of the most popular health apps, wellness programs, incentive systems, and other services that have enabled our users to make the most of their Fitbit products and data. Because of this commitment to connect with other applications, HealthKit is really interesting to us. Since its announcement, we’ve been evaluating integration with HealthKit as more of its features and benefits are revealed. 

Fitbit remains committed to supporting all of our users, whether they sync their Fitbit products with iOS, Android or Windows Phone devices, Macs or PCs. While HealthKit works only on the iOS platform, we also plan to maintain direct integrations with our partners so that Android, Windows Phone and PC and Mac users in addition to our iOS users can benefit from our partnerships.

Please share your thoughts with us. We want to understand how you envision an ideal HealthKit integration to work and what benefits you’re hoping for. We're actively reviewing your responses and providing feedback to our product development team.

10/8: We do not currently have plans to integrate with HealthKit.

It is an interesting new platform and we will watch as it matures, looking for opportunities to improve the Fitbit experience. At the moment, we’re working on other exciting projects that we think will be valuable to users. The question we want you to keep in mind when providing feedback is: What do you imagine a HealthKit integration would entail and what do you expect to get out of it?

Your voices are being heard. We're actively reviewing your responses and providing feedback to our product development team.

[cpatterson]

It's *my* data.  If I want to export *my* data obtained via the Aria scale that I bought with my own **ahem** money, I should be able to do that.  I can export it to MyFitnessPal but not to Apple's HealthKit? How does that make any sense at all?

[millerti]

I would not have purchased any FitBit products if I'd known you wouldn't support native apps in the future. I guess I'll sell my Aria and switch to a more forward-thinking competitor's product, like Withings'.

[camelothosting]

Kool looks like an official post finally.

As to what we EXPECT, well that would be a sinfle repository of all health and fitness data,

right now we have to open multiple apps to get information.  healthkit allows us to open 1 App to track everything

I do appreciate the honesty as im sure many here will as now we have a diffinitive answer that we can justify finding new trackers

[Billhat]

I can't see how this is even a question. Going forward, how do you sell a product that doesn't integrate with HealthKit? I find it hard to believe that a company like Fitbit has made such error. I suspect that this vote may be a ploy to buy some time or sidestep the issue altogether.

[camelothosting]

I would love to get a little more information as to why you have chosen to not integrate healthkit

---

Status changed to: Reviewed By Moderator

We do not currently have plans to integrate with HealthKit.

---

[camelothosting]

We do not currently have plans to integrate with HealthKit.

[Bluejay]

Dear moderators, Thank you for joining the conversation. However I would like to say that a statement like: "Your voices are being heard. We're actively reviewing your responses and providing feedback to our product development team." Should be posted before you pass the 500th comment. Especially if you have been asking for us to vote and comment. It has been a very one sided conversation.

[JessieZ]

Please add HealthKit integration! Otherwise I am gonna purchase UP instead of Fitbit Flex!!!

[DarrenVarney]

Fitbit needs to start to work with Apple Health Kit or users like me will simply switch over to an activity tracker that does.

Also, please change your Location Services settings so that they are only used "While Using the App" rather than the current setting "Always".  Fitbit app is contributing to my phone always running low on battery.  Other fitness App such as Strava manage to use much less battery while delivering accurate tracking results. 

[Tcsmth56]

I am extremely disappointed thAt Fitbit is taking a wait and see position on the new health app with iOS eight. My personal opinion is that this potentially could be a big mistake while companies are integrating the help app with their devices.

[bizniff]

The main thing I'd like to get out of the HealthKit integration is integrating my data tracked by fitbit into my electronic health record that is reviewable by my physician.

[Townsue]

Another vote for integration!  It's just nice to have everything under the Apple name...

[Bluejay]

Earlier I posted all the health kit data fields. I would like to see fitbit data fields lined up and linked. Health kit has a field for blood glucose. You have a field for blood glucose. Pick up or send that data to/from health kit.

[atw12]

Very disappointed that the integration wasn't done immediately, seeing as Apple even mentioned FitBit in their release. I would consider purchasing a new device if it doesn't happen soon.

+1 for integration

[daninhawaii]

I have started to use the iOS health kit to import a lot of my healt data like blood pressure, body fat, etc.  I know that FitBit can do that, but I use other apps that automatically send other additional data into the iOS Health Kit. I've been very happy with FitBit so far but if it's not going to keep up with the latest tech then I'll replace it with one that can. There are plenty of other alternatives out there. 

[BrickyardUte]

I am echoing what is being said above. Repeating that you appreciate our comments but have no plans to integrate with HealthKit because it's a new system? It's a completely unsatisfying answer that does not give your customers any insight as to why this decision was made, especially when FitBit was specially named during Apple's presentation announcing the HealthKit. It also does not provide any incentive to stay with FitBit as, "we are developing new products", is extremely vague and sounds like the tired canned statement that inspires zero confidence in your customers. Clearly we care enough to post this frustration in hopes to get a genuine response. Please do not let us down.

[flecknoe]

As far as Im concerned that means I won't be spending any more money on fitbit. The information I get from it is incomplete and health kit would have given me the full platform I wanted.  I have awaited every release date for this to happen so I dont have to cross link other apps to get the experience I want.  Now I am looking for a device and app combo that will meet my requirement, might even buy a new phone in the process to go android.

[Inroman]

Will make it happen. Health app is much more advanced and I would like to use just one app for everything.

[GoOutside]

On the original post there is this hilarous piece from the "moderator":

"Status:&nbspReviewed By Moderator

We do not currently have plans to integrate with HealthKit.

It is an interesting new platform and we will watch as it matures, looking for opportunities to improve the Fitbit experience. At the moment, we’re working on other exciting projects that we think will be valuable to users. The question we want you to keep in mind when providing feedback is: What do you imagine a HealthKit integration would entail and what do you expect to get out of it?"

So basically what you're saying is that we, as customers, need to make a a business case to you, the company as for why we want something?

Take a look a the vote numbers, the number of comments on this page, the number of twitter questions regarding HealthKit, the number of Facebook posts. Look at the numbers. Look at them in terms of how many have shown up in the last few weeks alone. Let the numbers themselves speak to this desire -- don't insult us.

Are you seriously going to so insult your customers that you're going to make them beg for a feature request that nearly all your competitors are embracing and that your customers have already shown incredible and strong numerical interest in?! 

THIS IS NOT HARD. Admit that you dropped the ball, pick it up again, and get to work. You are not retaining or winning over your customers with this blah-blah PR crap that we're seeing about "not making any announcements" or asking us to go around trying to beg you to justify an easily-added functionality. Frankly, this comment thread entertains me to no end, because it is very heartwearming to see that I'm not the only one who is looking at this situation and shaking my head in utter astonishment at the tone-deaf and oblivious responses to this situation we've been seeing.

We've spoken loud and clear -- but we're feeling like you're not even listening and that, somehow, you're telling us all to sit down quietly like children and try to justify our concerns. If this is something your customers have demonstrated as a want -- and it can be done -- then you better either figure it out, and quick, or you will lose customers. And this isn't internet threats that just never pan out -- you have real competition on this, and we're not idiots.