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.

[mldesanctis]

Started using the app, with just my iPhone last week, as I narrow down which brand of device I would purchase.  My current App Store rating has a 1-star review, and it will remain there, until you DO YOUR JOB.  I received an absurd response from Fitbit's support team, asking me to come here and tell them my thoughts on "what I'd like to see in a HealthKit and Fitbit integration".  This response puts serious doubts in my mind, that you have any business handling my health information.  All of it.  I want all of it.  You have MY data. Put MY data in MY phone.  

Are you counting my steps?

Does HealthKit accept steps?

Well then genius, YOU figure out what needs to be done, it's not that complicated.

[Dan-PC]

Can't believe I'm going to take the time to comment on a forum but I saw the unfortunate decision by FitBit to not integrate with HealthKit. I understand the logic but I think you will find that logic to be flawed and, at the risk of sounding over dramatic, this could very well be the pivotal moment you begin to loose momentum and begin down the road of tech companies that once were. Activity monitors add another aspect of complexity and effort into my already too-busy day. Charging devices, updating apps, etc becomes burdensome in mass. However, I recently got a FitBit and found that it was of enough benefit to warrant the extra work. The reality is that, although Apple Healthkit is an immature app, it will inevitably be the cornerstone of my families ePHR. The platform on which it sits will allow it to be what HealthVault never could. It is the app on the platform with a rabidly loyal user base and offers the most promising ease of use in both integration and synchronization among all of our devices. I think you'll find that people like their Fitbit devices. They like your software. But they LOVE their iPads and iPhones. I know for me, it is simple. The $10k investment I've made in the iOS ecosystem (not even OSX) compels me to use the ecosystem to its fullest. Doing so allows me to simplify wherever possible. If Fitbit doesn't fit seamlessly into that ecosystem and provide the simplicity that other options provide, it doesn't make the cut. We recently decided to get Fitbits for my wife and kids. I am excited to provide them with data that helps promote personal accountability in managing their health. I'm not interested in the Apple Watch. I was interested in buying 5 more Fitbit devices and, although I understand your logic, I hope you understand mine. I will be throwing my Fitbit into the drawer with my Sony eReader and other irrelevant electronics and purchase your competitors devices for my family. Sorry Fitbit. It was nice to know you.

[40lbsDown]

I'm disappointed to find you have no plans to integrate with HealthKit. I'll put this as clearly and respectfully as I can: I think you make fine products and I have gotten great results using my Fitbit One, but if you don't push my data to HealthKit, then I will switch to another brand of fitness tracker that will. 

Thank you for your consideration in this matter. 

- Jeff

[kables]

There's a lot of passion about this issue - hopefully you're paying attention.

I agree with the many, many people that are asking for Health Kit integration.  I have used a Fitbit tracker (3 different models as a matter of fact) and the Aria scale for 2 years.  Every day for 2 years I have recorded my data.  And that's exactly what it is - MY DATA.  I am interested in Health Kit integration to broaden the scope of how I measure and record my health data.  The Fitbit tracker and scale are fantastic devices to measure activity, weight, BMI and body fat.  However, there are many more things that I want to measure and record (blood pressure, for example).  Fitbit simply doesn't have a device for every use case out there.  And that's OK, they don't need to.  Using multiple devices from different manufacturers and consolidating the data into one app makes sense for users.  Preventing my health data from being shared with Health Kit does not make sense and makes me less likely to continue to support Fitbit hardware.  Your API makes it easy for others to move data into the Fitbit ecosystem, but exporting the same data is not allowed.  Not cool.  

One final issue: speed.  Fitbit moves slow.  App updates take too long to happen (Android). Hardware iteration is slow.  Communication with customers is slow (this topic is an excellent example).  Your competition is growing daily and they are moving fast.  Closing your ecosystem rather than forming strategic partnerships is dangerous.  I get that you're a small company.  Here's the thing - users don't care.  They want a company that can keep up.

I really hope you reconsider your position on this issue.  

[PhillyStyle]

Just checked out iFit.com and they haven't intergrate yet either but it looks like a good place to start for a replacement.

[cookieman]

I just purchased a Fitbit Flex and was surprised to find out it doesn't sync with Apples new health app, I'll be interested when it will be able to.

[ut_niner]

Very disappointing. Chalk up another lost customer. First the rash with the force...still no new product..and now something simple as HealthKit integration is being denied. Ridiculous. Counting the days till apple watch. Goodbye fitbit. I once stated you had me as a lifelong customer..no longer the case..not even close. how far you have fallen..

[jimbohop]

I use an iPhone and iPad, both with iOS 8 and want to be able integrate my FitBit with Apple's Health app.

[sabass]

I bought a fitbit one after seeing Apple's annoucement of health kit which did mention fitbit as a partner. Extremely unhappy with fitbit's about face on this issue. I'll give my fitbit another month or two - if by that time health kit integration hasn't materialized, I'll toss the device and move on to a device that supports the integration. I am absolutely not interested in a walled fitbit ecosystem, nor in any value-added subscriptions. Also, as many other users pointed out - my health data belongs to me and not to fitbit.

[SunsetRunner]

Count another dissapointed customer. I am waiting for the next gen trackers to all come out this holiday before I make a decision/ replace my One,  but easy free access to data is a CRITICAL point to the quantified self. This feels like a short term business decision (keep customers within the Fitbit walled garden) vs. buying into the long term network effect of Healthkit, where I will likely aggregate fitness tracking data with other health related data. 

My fear is that this decision is consistent with Fitbit's decision to charge for access to my personal data and speaks to a company philosophy that doesn't match my personal goals. I suppose we will all find out in time. Hopefully Fitbit will see 37+ pages of unhappy customers and reverse strategy.

[txknichols]

Fitbit isn't planning to integrate with HealthKit... This is EXTREMELY disappointing. I have to admit that I absolutely love the upgraded FitBit app, I love the online dashboard, but I would also love the option to keep ALL of my health data in one place, not scattered among several different apps. The market for fitness apps is definitely growing, and my husband and I have been faithful to Fitbit over the last two years, but I can't help but wonder if the grass is greener on the other side. I seriously doubt that I would use HealthKit MORE OFTEN than the Fitbit app, but again, the option would be nice. I hope you all reconsider.

[lyoko37]

This is very disappointing that FitBit thinks that in 2014 they can keep data exlusively inside their app. Allowing apps to exchange data and interact with each other is what iOS 8 is all about now. 

Easy fact: People love their iPhones and Apple way more than their Fitbits. Fitbits are easily replaced with another product that will support HealthKit. This was a no brainer for FitBit and they screwed it up. Would probably take them less than a day to integrate into HealthKit.

Also, not sure if you noticed but you recalled the Force and have yet to put out a new product lately. 

[Dinky-0034]

Because my physician is linking the practice "Electronic Medical Record" (EMR) with Apple HealthKit, I want my Fitbit (FB) scale and activity sensor to connect also.  I hope FB will act quickly to allow my weight to integrate.

[Havenocents]

Anxiously awaiting withings release after this fiasco.  It looks like it is coming.

https://twitter.com/Withings/status/519826402506727424

[mattbytes]

Unfortunate decision Fitbit

[rha]

Ditto the other 900 people.  C'mon Fitbit, just do it already.  Thanks

[BridgetJH]

add a +1 for another customer returning a recently purchased flex. **ahem** shame. Bought it two weeks ago and had no idea this company was planning on becoming irrelevant.

[TechnoBob]

With everybody calling it a no-brainer, aren't you just a little embarrassed, FitBit? Quickly fix this and allow our data -- that's "our data", not "your data" -- to go to HealthKit and you might be excused. Or you can just sit there studying the problem and watch your Apple customers start abandoning you. After all, FitBits have a finite battery life and will have to be replaced with something (a new FitBit, you hope) when they die. Oh, wait -- maybe you've got enough non-Apple customers that you don't care if we leave. Is that it?

[phlsphr]

I'll just chime in my support. Given this announcement, I can no longer recommend Fitbit to anyone. The voice of the users is quite clear. If I don't see an update with healthkit soon, that will tell me all I need to know re whether this company truly listens. 

[Ozark777]

Well. Looks like I'll be selling my fitbit after 3 years and multiple products. I've brought over 10 people to fitbit.  I share my friends and family and money with fitbit and they don't want to share step counts and sleep quality with an integrated health database. 

They don't care about my health, they just care about the bottom line. Jawbone has healthkit integration, guess I'll go check that out tomorrow. 

[FrancisFB]

Wow I literally just bought this yeterday.

Will be returning it for the Jawbone. I actually bought it from the Apple store so I automatically assumed it integrated with Health Kit.

[psq]

At best, I'm quite disappointed by Fitbit’s decision to not support HealthKit.

As soon as iOS 8.0.2 was out, I created a dashboard in Apple Health with Active Calories, Resting Calories, Walking + Running Distance, Flights Climbed, Steps, Body Mass Index, Weight.  With iPhone 6, Runtastic Pro and Fitstar feeding in the first 5 nicely (still have to figure out double counting in some cases, Runtastic, I’m looking at you), the last 2 remained empty, since the Fitbit Aria has been missing in action.  And I was anxiously waiting for a Fitbit update, till I read the news today.  Plus, as I don’t wear my iPhone all the time, but does war my fitbit, lots of steps are missing.

So please, please, Fitbit, support feeding data into Healthkit.

[Rodnlori]

Disappointed to learn you have no plans to integrate with iOS. Shocked really. 

My favorite device will integrate with iOS because it is so easy and adds value. Brings everything together and can add other data to it with ease. Since you have decided that this will not be you... I will be shopping around. I haven't had a reason to look elsewhere until now. Please reconsider before I find a better product. When I do I'll spend my money with them.

[gregr209]

I am surprised, but I guess I shouldn't be, that Fitbit went the entire day and didn't respond to this PR nightmare they stepped in. They might be playing the old if we make it thru the day maybe it will go away game but I am afraid it won't work this time.

I moved away from using a Fitbit step tracker awhile ago but do have the Aria scale and just assumed like everyone else that Fitbit would intergrate the data from the scale easily into the Apple Health app. Guess not.

Pretty sad that a company that had a lot of good will with their users lost it all on a fairly stupid decision. After reading all of the comments here it is pretty clear that the users what their data set free. Now to be fair a number of the other fitness apps are trying sneaky things like sucking out the data from the Apple Health app for their own use too so beware when you set up those settings (yeah I am looking at you LoseIt!).

Hopefully Fitbit will reverese this horrible decision and I can keep my Aria but I will purchase another device if I have too. Again, pretty stupid of Fitbit for causing all of this uproar when they should have already knew the answer!

P.S. I don't even think the Fitbit app is iPhone 6 ready. The UI is horrible looking on my iPhone 6 Plus.

[oldbuga]

Bought fitbit and was happy ... thought fitbit would integrate with the IOS Healthkit and was very very happy. Went out and purchased an Aria last weekend and am planning to buy a new IPhone next week. Now still getting the IPhone. selling Aria on EBay and throwing Fitbit out. How shortsighted are Fitbit?