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.

[SunsetRunner]

@dtherio that makes so much sense to me now, sorry for the confusion.  That IS bad, the whole point of sleep tracking is to help monitor your patterns to help improve them. 😞

[Hammerlynch]

Agreed! I too purchased a syncsolver but often gives the: not avail now, try later. Really frustrating!!!

Sent from my iPhone

[Basalt]

Sync Solver is an ok Duct tape type fix for this situation but it has been crippled by Fitbit. https://www.fitbit.com/forums/topic/JP8YZD9SFQZ5G?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_m...

[Karell]

@Hammerlynch I bought Sync Solver almost immediately when it was released. The initial sync was problemmatic, so I contacted the developer. It seemed to be caused by my 4+ years of history, and that fitbit's servers were timing out before being able to deliver the data. It took quite a bit of persistence to get that first sync, but since then it's worked without issue. I'll warn you though ... if you ever have to delete the app, don't allow it to delete your historical data or you'll have to go through it all over again.

Hope this helps.

[RickyFitbit]

Hello everyone! 

@iwatts @dtherio @Karell If you look closely at the official Fitbit statement on 10/8 (also in the update on this feature request), it states, "We currently don't have plans on integrating..." and "...we’ve been evaluating integration with HealthKit as more of its features and benefits are revealed." I'm sorry if you've been misled from other articles. We're working with our product dev team to find out more information. Your passionate feedback is appreciated. 

@PKDaba @RunsWithScissor I could understand your reasoning. We're working to provide more information and once we do, we'll make sure to let everyone know here. Thanks for your input. 

@drtaxsacto Thanks a lot for your detailed feedback! You should be a writer! That was a neatly drafted response. However, we cannot say that because we haven't made a decision. Once we do, I'll try my best to draft something as good as the one you provided. I might ask for help. 

@T_abts Congrats on your Charge HR and thanks for your input! Once we have more information, we'll let everyone know here.

@SunsetRunner Thanks for your suggestion and feedback. We'll make sure to forward it to our product dev team! 

[iwatts]

@RickyFitbit you are talking about an update over 6 months ago. You still haven't answered my question as to why you have made a decision to go with Microsoft Healthvault but still have to consider the benefits of Healthkit when they are just different companies versions of the same thing. Until you answer this your answers ring hollow. You have made a decision to link to another companies health integration service but not Healthkit but have given no explanation as to what you see as the difference between the two. We read your update over 6 months ago and understand your company's line. You are considering it. But I still want my question answered as to why going with Microsoft is so easy when going with Apple is so hard. If you can explain this I think many people will understand more. Until then it will never make sense.

[SunsetRunner]

All this talk about "considering" integration is really B.S. Have a little respect for your customers. I would assert that given how long HealthKit has now been out, until it's a "yes", it's a "no".

[Karell]

@RickyFitbit Thanks for your response, but to be honest it clears up absolutely nothing. @zapleahy confirmed what the article says as correct, but in the same breath she claims that no decision has been made and the issue is still 'under consideration'. That's what's commonly known as talking out of both sides of your mouth ... both things cannot be true, and the fact that you expect us to blindly swallow such obviously contradictory statements is offensive and insulting. As it stands I'll never spend another penny with fitbit ever again. I'm watching this with morbid fascination, it's like watching a slow-motion train wreck and I just can't look away. I'm curious to see just how much longer you expect your customers to accept such blatant and obvious political spin. Oh, that's an idea, have you ever thought of going into politics?

It would be nice if fitbit would finally work up the nerve to speak the truth and be honest. That way when the company dies, it would have recovered a tiny bit of the integrity it used to have. For whatever internal reason you've decided not to cooperate with Apple ... just admit it. Or should I start a betting pool to see how much longer it will take? My money is on the 12th of Never. 

[Opivali]

I am still of the opinion that they are not going to integrate with HealthKit for reason of money. Until it hurts they won't do it. I think the policies that Apple has about making money off of shared data. It interferes with Fitbit profits, so why share? Who knows they may be trying to truely be trying to come up with something to compete with Apple. They may also be waiting for Apple to share more information. Take sleep. It only deals in time asleep and not all the movement data.

[gvanwesep]

I was disappointed to find my Fitbit does not integrate with my new Apple watch.  For me, if the Fitbit is to remain relevant, it must integrate with my watch.  Thank you.

[MORGiON]

Wow, been a while since I checked and they are still full of B.S. with Health Kit integration. Extremely poor way to treat paying customers

[DoubleTrouble]

None of the mods have addressed Basalt's issues with Sync Solver. I would like to a response.

[westofeight]

Very sad that this request has been up for a year and nothing. The very least fitbit could do is have the aria scale data update into Healthkit. I see now that fitbit will work with microsofts heathvault, incredible, its no wonder why Apple pulled your products from their stores. 

So after owning various fitbit trackers for several years now I will be selling mine due to the way fitbit treats it's iOS customers. One day I will replace my aria as well. It was great in the beginning fitbit, this lack of service to your customers is my reason for no longer supporting you.

[RickyFitbit]

Hello everyone! 

Thank you for your valuable feedback. I'd like to remind everyone to review our Community Guidelines. We moderate our threads to reflect our Guidelines so that users can have a safe place to respectfully share their thoughts and ideas. Please follow these guidelines to avoid your post, or in very extreme cases, your account from being removed.

@PKDaba I verified that you were not banned from the Community. We just removed your comment. For more information, please refer to the private message that we sent you. 

Regarding HealthKit, I'm sorry that I can't provide any more information. Once we have more information, please understand that this will be the first place we'll post it. I'm working on providing your feedback to our product dev team. You're cooperation and untimely patience is greatly appreciated. 

[JohnBez]

I can't believe I just bought my Fitbit Charge HR got it home and fully expected that it would automatically sync with Apple's health app only to read these comments and find out that it doesn't and maybe never well wish I'd read these online forums before I spent $150 on this... PLEASE!! Add this functionality ASAP!

[iwatts]

@RickyFitbit you still haven't answered my question as to why you have integrated with Microsoft Health Vault and not Health Kit. They are practically the same product. I have asked this question three times now and still not received an answer. This would help us to understand your company's hesitation to go with health kit or why it is taking so long. It is a simple question and one that you obviously don't want us to know the answer to else you would have answered by now. I will keep asking until I get an answer.

[gutsma]

@RickyFitbit As always it's nice having you drop in.  

I'm not trying to be snarky, but after a year of contemplating and syncing to other services, it seems a decision has been made.  To date, there is no integration and there will be none in the future.  

FitBit either syncs with HealthKit or it doesn't.  There is no middle ground.  It doesn't.  Period.  End of story.

When this all started, FitBit encouraged iOS users to vote and comment, even providing this link.  Many FitBit customers believed (perhaps naively) the company was being sincere and wanted to weigh the wishes of the FitBit users.  Maybe this was a sincere desire.  Maybe not.  We will never know the truth.

What we do know is that the wishes of FitBit consumers are not significant enough to sway corporate decision-making.  I'm sure corporate decision-makers have their reasons for ignoring our wishes and suggestions. 

We've upheld our end of the bargain, Ricky.  We've voted.  We've shared our reasons for wanting FitBit to integrate with HealthKit. We've shared how we see it working for us.  

Periodically you or Allison would pop in and thank a few commenters.  

It's all become tired.  We upheld our end.  FitBit did not.  FitBit has lost many longtime customers.  Why?  For some, HealthKit integration was that important.  Others don't care to support a company lacking integrity.

By the way, the decision to sync to a Microsoft product is a direct slap to apple customers.  A stated reason for not syncing to HealthKit was that it wasn't inclusive of all your customers.  Are apple users chopped liver?  Oops, another hole in the company line.

[AlbertJames]

Get connected with healthKit Now. I got scammed, works on iOS so it said. 

ALL my friends will know about that.

You are refusing to accept what's in front of you, if you want to beat apple health, make a better app ! but dont reduce our freedom just because you re afraid you will not compete. 

Today I though I bought the best connected wristband, it seems it was the worst.

[Karell]

@AlbertJames @JohnBez Return your fibit while you still have a chance. With this feature being 'Under Consideration' for a year now, what are the chances it will happen within your return period? If in the future fitbit finally works up the courage to integrate with Apple HealthKit (and the integrity to do right by its customers) you can always buy it again ... and if that does ever happen, there will probably be a newer model out by then. 

[j118]

It's really easy to implement.  Based on how many apps are available in the App store that people are purchasing to accomplish this, it's pretty clear that your customers want this.  The FitBit app is great for keeping track of some things, but what about the things that your app does not include?  Cholesterol levels?  Blood pressure?  Blood glucose?  Inhaler usage?  Etc.  Apple's Health makes it easy for us to view ALL our data form multiple sources in one spot.  

Also, this will allow you sell more hardware.  Sync goes both ways.  If someone has tons of Jawbone data that they don't want to part with, they can sync it to your FitBit app through Apple Health.  Since literally every fitness band maker except for you supports Apple Health, switching to FitBit will be much easier.

PLEASE implement this.

[tsmango]

I've been a Fitbit user for years. I've had the Flex, the Force, and the Charge. I've also had a Premium membership the entire time and have really gotten a ton out of the ecosystem.

Unfortunately, like others on this thread, I've moved to an Apple Watch because it just suits my needs better overall. I'm hoping that Fitbit will add support for importing steps, activities, calories, and heart rate from Apple Health so that I can continue being a Fitbit Premium customer, using the app I enjoy using, and interacting with my friends.

[SunsetRunner]

when does the fitbit app get HealthKit intergration? For example, i have at this moment 3 apps for weight, one i like for entering and keeping a weight log. The other 2 (like the fitbit app) are Nice if the weight is entered, but i don't especialy use them for weight. I get sick of having to enter my weight. 3 times. If fitbit would have HealthKit intergration, if this problem would be solved, the customer experience would be better too, so fitbit could use my weight more accurately because it is now more often entered in the fitbit app ( automaticaly), i contacted the other app too and they told me they were working on HealthKit intergration. I'm just saying, wouldn't it be much easier and better if the fitbit app had HealthKit intergration?

[yasserm86]

I think this is a great opportunity for users to make more sense of their fitbit data, and let users see how it's having a direct impact or influence in leading a healthy life.

By tapping into HealthKit, it'll help in centralising a common datat source rather than having multiple trackers being worn that may not conform to a standard protocol. In addtion, it'll also help in using the newly-launched ResearchKit as well.

Having the data show up on the native Health app on iOS would be great for users. In addition, the fitbit data set may also be used to extrapolate many more results not yet incorporated into the fitbit app.

[csthom]

Just the jillionth person that would like to see healthkit integration. I guess I don't quite understand the concern that it wouldn't benefit all users. Of course it wouldn't. Duh. Having an iOS app for Fitbit at all by definition only benefits iOS users, just as I get no direct benefit from there being Android or Windows apps. Integrating with healthkit would just be a better and more thoroughly integrated experience for iOS users. I kind of feel like that's not the real reason.

As to what I'd like to see: have my fitbit show up as an input source alongside my phone to better track my steps, and be able to use the GPS on my phone to better track distance. I also feel like healthkit serves as a better hub for other health related apps, since that's exactly what it's designed to be.

[tox1415]

Not sure where this thread is going now. FitBit have clearly flipped the bird to anyone using Apple Kit and wanting to sync with HealthKit, they said somewhat amusingly that our voices would be heard after stating they would not integrate with HealthKit. Clearl;y as our voices were used, FitBit had their fingers in their ears going La La La La. No point asking any more, it's not going to happen. Vote with your feet and take your money to a supplier who has had the foresight to integrate. I did.