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.

[LakesGeek]

To be honest, I can see where they're coming from in that I've not really seen any reason for other trackers to integrate with Healthkit based on what's out there so far.  I've only really seen it as a separate interface for the same data (and a pretty poor interface that has only just gained the ability to specify a metric/imperial preference in the last update)

What concerns me though (as I consider upgrading from an original Fitbit to a HR) is how Apple sees this lack of co-operation.  Apple for all the great things they do can be very petulant when dealing with other companies - has there been any word from Fitbit on how their relationship with Apple is going?  I wouldn't want to buy a tracker then find that the app gets pulled from the app store a month or two later for "duplicating functionality" because their relationship has soured, rendering it useless on iOS devices.

[Opivali]

Apple's HealthKit has only one main function at the moment. Bring all the data to one place and pass it on. In time it will do more, but now it is doing the collection and dissemination of data in a okay manor. When the desperately separate applications, web services, and devices can share data we can start to see the whole picture of our health.

[drtaxsacto]

The HealthKit architecture is pretty open. Were Fitbit to integrate I would keep my Fitbit - I like the features and have four years of data. But if not I would download my data and find another device.

Sent from my iPad Air

[Bulanch]

Agree! Would love to see Fitbit integrated with the Apple Health app.

[TheRealKevin]

I've looked at the Apple Watch, and at the FitBits. The FitBit Charge has the features I'm looking for - specifically a continuous heart rate monitor. The Apple Watch can't do that.  But I'm not going to buy the FitBit Charge if I can't get the data into Health Kit where my other data is, specifically, blood pressure and weight.  I need these to corelate everything.

I have two questions: 

(1) has anyone had success using a 3rd pary app to move Fitbit data into Health Kit? What app? Any pitfalls?

(2) can anyone suggest a continuous heart rate monitor that's as good (or nearly as good) as the FitBit Charge, but also compatible with Health Kit?

Thanks.

[jlarosa]

Try http://syncsolver.com/ for number 1. I am looking at # 2. I was considering Pebble Time but novHr at current time. May be added later by 3rd party developer. Fitbit could do well with the charge HR if they get consistent stock, resolve the rash issues and health kit integration. Apple watch is out for me due to price

[Mikey1234]

if you read the reviews on the charge you'll find that the heart rate monitor is not even close to accurate during workouts.

[drtaxsacto]

There is one app which integrates the data - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sync-solver-for-fitbit/id935306292?mt=8 - Called Syncsolver. It is $1.99

[TheRealKevin]

Thanks for the replies. Plenty to think about.

[SunsetRunner]

I started using Sync Solver for Fitbit and it works great, you may notice
your steps doubled, to fix you must go into your health data tab, then find
steps and tap on the edit button so you place sync solver above your iphone
for data. then healthkit will report the steps from your fitbit.

[jbycroft]

I can't believe Fitbit has still decided that they don't need to sync with Apple Health. I really like/liked Fitbit, I don't want to have to move to a different product.

[gleytonb]

 I want that the integration allow complement the Fitbit data. For example, with FitBit (or with some products) is not possible to take some data (bycicle or some body measurements, for example). So, using other app (for bycicle, for example) or products (blood pression) could complement the information. 

[zapleahy]

@kurreburre Appreciate the constructive feedback. You can share your data through multiple means outside of a direct connection to Apple's health app. We offer full access to our APIs and have revamped the API to support the latest features, including heart rate. This is the same API that enterprising startups like Sync Solver are leveraging to provide Fitbit users with a connection to HealthKit. Additionally, we now offer users the ability to download data directly from the Fitbit dashboard.

@SunsetRunner @renevelasquez @SunsetRunner @Darss  @Aalok Sorry to lose your loyalty over this.

@GoOutside  This integration is not a decision we take lightly and so while the process has been decidedly slow, it should not be taken as an insult, though your sentiment is acknowledged.

@Basalt Great point on ResearchKit. There could be groundbreaking studies to come out of that initiative that would be a shame to miss out on.

@drtaxsacto @swat671 @Opivali @daviesgeek @Fangirlmom @SunsetRunner @PeacockRose 

@Silvesterick @Sherri0 @Abbey29 @gleytonb Thanks for your votes and the time you've taken to show support for this feature request!

@Meph88 Thanks for sharing your personal story. This is very helpful for me to draw upon when relaying the community's concerns and desires for this integration. Have you tried food logging lately? We've made some big strides in that area over the past few months. Would love to know if we've managed to sovle for some of your pain points.

@ASHNEWLAND Thanks for the feedback on our MFP integration! I recommend re-posting this as a new Idea for the dev team to consider. I think others in the community would agree that improvements can be made, and it would be helpful to have a separate thread to discuss this integration.

@Drew1689 It's great to see Apple making improvements to their platform, and these advancements will certainly help elevate the case for integration, however our stance is unchanged at this time.

As always, thanks to everyone for the continued participation and attention to this topic. I continue to look forward to sharing any updates from Fitbit.

[TeRRyZx]

While I still love my FitBit One and am still expecting Apple intergration eventually, I was thinking about getting a Surge HR however from the MANY reviews I have been reading, this latest bunch of devices are so INACCURATE that they are basically useless. I will say that my ONE is quite accurate BUT this is making me seriously consider an Appple watch depending on how their reported accuracy is once mass releass happens. I'm VERY disappointed that FitBit has been getting such negative reiews from the bad and inaccurate readings. 

[tox1415]

Good lord!

A comment from a moderator!

Whatever next!?!?!?

In the meantime there are few options if you want to have your activity data tracked in Health App:

• Jawbone UP24
• Misfit Flash
• Garmin Vivosmart
• Withings Pulse O2
• Once released the Apple Watch

My Flex is going on eBay this week.

[Clarkro]

I would also like to see my fitbit data with the Apple Health app! Please add this feature...

[jessie00x]

Come on Fitbit, I like your product a lot, but this seems to be a no brainer! 

Please don't take this the wrong way, I really do love my Surge, but why not integrate with the Apple Health app? If there were a legitimate reason, then I would understand, but waffle about providing the best user experience doesn't cut it when 1000+ people have voted that integration would improve their experience. 

Fitbit doesn't track everything, and some things not as well as other apps (eg. Sleep Cycle) and I don't blame you, it's a huge ask to be the best app for every kind of tracking (sleep, diet, heart rate, running, weights etc. etc) so even though I use multiple apps, I would love to see all of my data in one place and Fitbit is one big missing hole in all of this. Please fix? Thanks!

[Kraigster]

Hi.  I have had my Flex for two weeks.  I love the data and am using it.  But you must must MUST make peace with Apple and get on the Apple Health.  My gym connects, and it's imperative that my fitness tracker does too.  If you don't make peace with Apple (the 1000 pound gorilla) then you will die in isolation.  I don't want that to happen.

Please get on Apple Health ASAP

[SunsetRunner]

@zapleahy per the API docs the current get-heart-rate doc is deperecated and does not return data.  there is a post from Oct 2014 saying that the api will be available soon, but that was almost 6 months ago?

https://wiki.fitbit.com/display/API/Fitbit+API

[SunsetRunner]

While SyncSolver is an interesting stopgap measure, I don't believe Fitbit has given them developer API access, so they get a daily step count only, not detailed intra-day data.

If Fitbit really does intend for users to leverage SyncSolver while they "evaluate" HealthKit, how about giving them the developer API access so we can have a cleaner sync solution?

Or better yet, why not just enable some basic data flows to establish connectivity and end all of this complaining? Seriously!

[dtherio]

Fitbit doesn't want us to have access to our own data unless we pay for it (aka the premium membership). They somehow feel they own our data.

I've already cancelled my order for a FitBit Aria due to this short-sighted stance on Fitbit's part.

[Opivali]

There are only so many things we can do to get this natively added to the application. 1) keep voting, posting, e-mail, and write letters to them with the hope that they change their mind. 2) convince as many people as possible to leave them for another service along with warning everyone against them. On top of that write letters to magazines, newspapers, Television, and radio shows. 3) buy them and change it as the owner. 4) make a better product. I do not like the bad mouthing them, but all the rest are okay to do, IMO. If I were to win enough money to buy them and a few other companies I would.

[SunsetRunner]

This seems like a no brainer!  I like the app and yes, the Health App interface is not the best I have seen, it is a great portal to other apps.  I am currently in trying to participate in the MyHeart Counts study by Stanford and this lack of integration means that I have to carry both my FitBit and my iPhone.  Not the end of the world, but annoying!  Please fix this!

[StankyRich]

So after I got a Fitbit charge I figured out it did'nt sync with health kit, I had to buy the third party app Sync Solver ( that really has to chap your ass)... COME ON, MAN. don't turn Fitbit into zune or surface. I like your app, but I bought the Charge with my money and its my information, and I only want to look at one app. All the other apps I use, i.e. My fitness pal, withings and others sync. Get over it and let it sync. Love the Charge by the way!

[SunsetRunner]

I also ended up buying SyncSolver to get my data integrated into Apple's Health, I have a scale from another brand, and want to track my weight. I find it very disappointing that I need to buy a third party app to make my device work properly on iOS…