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.

[KatlynR]

I just got the iPhone 6 plus, I'm kind of sadden by the fact that I can not use my Fitbit with the iOS 8 Health App! I really hope plans are in the works for an integration with both apps, and that I will be able to combine the two very soon!

[dtherio]

Opivali, you are mistaken, apps can already share the data. It is up to the specific app as to what data they wish to read and write to the HealthKit. I have apps that read my food data that is posted to HealthKit via MyFitnessPal. 

So the inter-app communitcation already exists. 

[Dotpdf]

I just bought my Fitbit yesterday expecting it to work with Apple's health app. After reading online that Fitbit arrogantly decided to piss off a large portion of their userbase by not including HealthKit sync, I will be returning my Fitbit. I was on the fence as to whether I should buy an Apple Watch or a Fitbit, but I didn't realize that you would make the decision so easy. Good riddance.

[elctrncwz101]

I’ve seen this suggested on the App Store, and noticed that it was a needed feature. I know that the app has its own dashboard, but having the info automatically synced with the app-and possibly link with the Medical iD.

Any thoughts on this topic?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[ADM]

Please integrate FitBit with Health Kit AND Research Kit.   We've been asking for this since iOS 8 first came out last fall.  Winter has come and gone. Spring is here and still no fix.   FitBit has introduced new products like the Charge, which I've purchased, the Charge HR and the Surge.  FitBit has updated its iOS app several times, yet fails to provide the integration with Health Kit that thousands of users have requested.  I'm disappointed that the FitBit device and app, which have been so helpful in the past, have failed to allow users to utilize and maximize all the technology on our mobile devices that could help improve our health and fitness. This is worse than giving FitBit users keys to a car with air conditioning, yet refusing to enable the use of the air conditioner until we sufficiently explain how and when we'd use it or why it might be nice to use it.  FitBit, instead of the unsatisfactory "we're considering" rationale, please consider this user-recommended rationale for integration: We purchased both FitBit and Apple devices and expect them both to operate and function to the fullest extent possible.

[Soek]

Why haven't I bought a fitbit charge HR?

Just because it is not connected to the apps I am using now.

I don't find healthkit usefull to see everything on one place, I see it usefull as a standard to allow all apps to communicate between them. I'm Nike+ app user, and I want a HR tracker. In order to be compatible it needs to write data to healthkit (as nike reads from there), so HR charge is not an option to me untill it gets compatible.

I'm also using myfitnesspal, and withings' healthmate (with a scale). It would be perfect if I can see all that data on the fitbit app together with the HR charge data. Of course, I will not throw to the trash my withings scale and buy a (fitbit) new one, neither loose all my data and start from zero. That would not be a migration from one app to other one, that would be a start from the begining.

It's ovbious that your band is the best fitness tracker, and best quality/price, but if it's not completely functional you are going to loose some potential clients.

In my case, I don't care about paying a little more for other product that is complete. If you wait much more, there will be new products (apple whatch for example) that will cover our needs and will be fully integrated with all the apps and actual gadgets we have.

[gohoos]

I ask everyone who reads these comments to take your opinions where they will carry more weight. Take them to the reviews. I see plenty of one-star Fitbit reviews in the App Store and on Amazon and others. Keep it up. When this Hts them in the pocketbook they may understand.

[vote-isn-excuse]

Voting on something this obvious is like voting to take another breath. Hope you realize were moving on while you just wait.

Being constructive on this, my opinion is it seems like fitbit is so out of touch as to use the voting system as cop-out excuse.

To require voting to make a feature relevant (when is so obvious a child knows it) and if fitbit is not able to self-identify and promote critical success criteria quickly, what hope are they to their shareholders.

The thought process must be, "Its ok lets let our paying customers swing in the wind regretting their purchase while other trackers and scale immediately see high value of integrating to the #1 health app. <line removed that they have more serious issues that only a mentxx healtxx exam can to address their fear of xxxx or joy of procrxxxxtination." Ok thanks for the clarity of the fitbit position to research the feature. Hope I care when your sure the Apple Heath app is not a fad.

[RyanW91]

+1 I have the scales and I'm able to sync weight through my fitness pal but body fat won't sync. I would love to but other fitbit products in the future but not without this issue being resolved first!

[Tiffytrax]

I would love if the Fitbit app could sync with the health data app on iPhones. It would save a lot of time for me not having to re enter all my data from one to the other.

[KAMA3]

Please do integrate Fitbit application to Apple HealthKit as it very convienient to have your data in one place.

[Tiffytrax]

I would love for all of my fit tech to be all in one place. Please bring the two together.

[hblkwks]

After three Genius Bar appointments with Apple concerning the Health Kit on my iPhone 5, i was informed by Apple i would need a Fit Bit or similar fitness tracker for the Health Kit to collect data.

I just bought the Charge HR today based on this (incorrect?) recommendation.  I understand the misinformation was given to me by Apple but it seems ridiculous Fit Bit is not compatible with the iPhone Health Kit.

I am more dedicated and financially committed to my iPhone so I guess I'll probably just put this Fit Bit back in the box and return it. (Unless someone says the device works with the Health Kit? Please...!). 

[UnkiePaul]

To hblwks:

Recommend that you put your "FitBerry" back in the box and return it.  There are other options available that connect with Health Kit.  It is a shame that FitBerry remains so stubborn and short-sighted.

[drtaxsacto]

You must have gotten a klunker for your Genius bar appointment. Fit bit is not integrated with the Health App but things like the Microsoft band is. Also if you keep your phone with you all day and get a carrier for your workouts - you do not need another device.
The new Apple Watch will also integrate with the Healthkit.

[SunsetRunner]

I agree with some of the comments earlier, I will be writing a detailed review of the pros and cons of the Fitbit one which will spend a decent amount of time on the fact that it does not work with HealthKit.

[Caiiebear]

I would also love to see it! It would be extremely helpful to meet our health and fitness goals!

[skooter210]

I also would like to be able to have the data in the Health app.  I use a variety of apps, (specifically apps that you don't support such as Nike+) and would love to be able to sync that data.  As HealthKit currently is the only solution for sharing amoungst all apps in the Apple iOS ecosystem, it is depressing not being able to sync this data.  There have been a continuous stream of people since Health was anounced that are requesting this feature that makes it seem like you are simply intentionally ignoring your user-base, regardless of how small that user-base may seem.  I would love to see the data that is collected in real-time next to other data that is available, but currently must resign myself to not.  A response is requested to this post please FitBit, as to whether you have made any strides towards this happening, or will make any commitment to implimenting this in the future.

[asrose]

I have been a loyal Fitbit user and have purchased evey Fitbit device either for myself or family members!

Please integrate the data with the Apple Health app ASAP!

Thanks so much.

[m0pher]

To me, the primary value add of HealthKit is its ability to aggregate data from disparate sources and display it in one place. I currently have four technology-assisted data sources: (1) Fitbit Flex, (2) Fitbit Aria, (3) iPhone 6 and (4) the Sleep Cycle app. Each of these brings something unique and also overlap to some extent, so rather than looking at multiple dashboards I want HealthKit to be that "one stop shop" where I can see all of my data.

For what it's worth, the lack of integration is currently the main reason I will trade my Fitbit Flex for the Apple Watch. It's a shame, really, because I like the minimalism of my Fitbit and I don't have much use for the Apple Watch's many other features. As far as personal health data is concerned, however, I value that "one stop shop" above the other factors I mentioned and as cost isn't really a factor for me I will likely switch to the Apple Watch by mid-year, unless Fitbit delivers data integration or at least announces plans to do so. (The only reason I'm holding off is that I expect some of the software kinks with the Apple Watch will have been worked out by then.) After that, I'll look to replace the Fitbit Aria with something similarly integrated, or key in the two data points it generates manually into HealthKit, since that takes all of 10 seconds.

[wendybird44]

Please integrate FitBit with Health Kit AND Research Kit with Apple Health.  

Right now I am looking to replace my flex.  The charge HR is my first choice.  But I can't get the information into my central app then it isn't helpful to me.  I have multiple apps taking care to track different health related things.  Having the information in one place to share with my doctor is crucial right now. 

If you are never going to do it - at least say that and consumers can start making their future purchasing decisions.

[deidram]

I was just reading people's comments regarding integration with Apple's Health kit and would like to share some of the things I've observed. First of all, get Sync Solver. Bingo, there's your integration solved. Works great. Second,  I have a Charge HR right now. Sync Solver does a good job as far as I'm concerned. Third, I'm a long time Apple user/fan/loyal customer and have considered purchasing an iWatch sometime in the future. However, I have a few concerns. The biggest one is that the Health app doesn't allow a user to easily download and view their stats on the web like Fitbit does. You can export the stats and email them to yourself but they come as a zip file which when unzipped is in xml format. My devices are all Apple based and neither Numbers nor Excel will render the xml files useable. Excel will do a database dump but for my purposes the result is useless. So, what you see is what you get on the iWatch only. To my thinking Apple is missing the boat and misunderstanding their user base. Fourth, many people are into the fitness app/device world and want to use/view their data on more than a device/daily only basis. Fitbit understands this and gives them what they want. Hope this makes sense. Perhaps third party developers will resolve this issue but really! Fitbit should say "thank you" to Apple!  Their website is wonderful and very easy to use. I can download my data as a csv file to import into Numbers or Excel. I integrate it with myfitnesspal and between the 2 of them I can't complain. The only complaint I have is that the iWatch is sure a lot more pretty than the Charge HR! I'm staying with Fitbit for now. If Apple ever expands how it shares the data collected on the iWatch then Fitbit watch out. Should be an interesting year for wearable devices that's for sure.

[skooter210]

@deidram Your observations, though not off base, miss the point that some users are making.

1. Get Sync Solver - You are making a comment that a user that just bought a fitbit, now needs to go out and get not one, but two additional apps in order for the Health App to integrate in a two directional manner, which is precisely what it is supposed to facilitate through the HealthKit API for free.  In addition, Sync Solver does not have access to things such as the Heart Rate API through FitBit.  For your Charge HR, that means you're missing out on critical data.
2. Sync Solver does a good job - Again, you are presuming that users want to get a third-party app for something that very easily could be integrated through use of an already existent API.  Clearly if Sync Solver was able to do this, FitBit is able to do this as well, and most likely in a much better way, seeing as they have full access to the data.
3. Long time concerns about Apple Watch - I am not here to say that the Apple Watch is the answer, and if it's not the answer for you, thats great.  However, the fact that the Health app is open to anyone and any app is what it seems to be is the issue here.  Any data the Apple Watch collects can then be used by any other application (with permission from the user, of course).  The very fact that FitBit won't share the data with the Health app highlights the fact that, in fact, FitBit wants to control which apps have access to the data based on their partnerships and not on the free use of the data that we, as users, are generating.
4. In regards to how the data is allowed to be exported, I'm not sure what this argument consists of, because, again, any application can utilize this data (even myFitnessPal).  If you'd like to download the data from Health as anything more than XML, I'm sure there will be apps or scripts able to do this.  In the meantime, the data is there.  You have to realize that most applications that are using this data are going to need it in XML format to actually be able to do anything useful with the massive amount of data there.

Clearly, I know this comes off as personal, but I simply want to make it known that, in fact, Apple is the one trying to be open with the data in this case.

[deidram]

Whoa buddy! I wasn't attempting to come across as some sort of expert or
anything. Tone it down a bit. If I offended you, I apologize but sheesh. My
argument was just that companies like FitBit, myfitnesspal, runkeeper,
among many others at least let their users view and "think about" their
data in a more viewable environment than a tiny little screen. I like to
see all my daily/weekly/monthly data on a screen bigger than the iphone!
That's all. I agree that FB is not playing nice with their APIs. Look up
the Sync Solver's plea to FB to give him full access in another discussion
thread. My suggestion was just a "be aware that" there is a work around for
now. As far as the downloading as something other than XML, there isn't
anything out there right now. I spent a whole day digging and came up with
one solution "QS Access" but found it not that accurate or useful. Maybe I
wasn't using it correctly but that goes back to the argument that as a user
I shouldn't have to "diddle" so much. I'm using the Apple Health app as
well for am not convinced as to who is playing nicer. That's it. I'm outta
here.

[Mikey1234]

It doesn't matter about Fitbit heart rate syncing with anything. It's so inaccurate the information is useless.