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.

[rshim]

Very disappointed to hear you aren't supporting HealthKit. The API seems to be fairly trivial to integrate into an app, so I guess it is more of a political decision.

My FitBit Flex just arrived today and having just now read that it won't be HealthKit compatible, I am seriously considering returning it.

[pengirl55]

You'd think now when there's so much competition in the exercise tracking world Fitbit would do whatever they could to entice customers to their brand. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Fitbit has clearly upset many current and potential customers. I will definitely be exploring other companies in the future when my One dies. 

I would imagine HealthKit integration would enable FitBit users to add steps, active calories, sleep duration, dietary calories, and weight data to the Health app graphs. (I'm sure there's more, I just can't think of it.) The integration would also allow the FitBit app to pull that information from Health and into FitBit to complete records. For example, I use a different app to track meals and that info goes into Health. FitBit could then take the data from my other app that's in Health and add it to the food log feature. Another example would be if I used another app for exercise and that info synced to Health, then FitBit would automatically pick the info up without my having to enter the data in multiple apps. It just seems that only good things would come from this integration. The main benefit being that users don't have to enter as much data into as many separate apps. 

[SunsetRunner]

between this whole thing about Fitbit dragging their feet on Healthkit integration, the myriad of bugs in the current app, the Force recall and lack of a replacement, and a possible recall of the Flex coming, Fitbit may not be long for this world.  Oh yeah, and the Apple Watch coming down the pike.  But hey, if you're gonna misfire, better to misfire big and shoot yourself in the foot a few times while you're at it.  

The reasons people like myself want HealthKit integration are obvious and have been made clear.  Jawbone and Withings didn't need to pretend they were "wondering what their users wanted.  And to see where things would go".  

[Zugbug]

I think the real telling thing here is that Fitbit works with Microsoft health vault but not Apple HealthKit. To me that says that between the 2 companies there is some personality conflict or fitbit is looking for some sort of payback. Either way it's political and Fitbit is letting us be pawns in their game. Not a good way to do business.

[J1234567890]

Please integrate with Apple's Healthkit!  There's no reason we can't use both apps.

[SunsetRunner]

Jawbone UP here I come. Been a Fitbit user for many years and through many fitbits. No integration with healthkit? Count me out.

[Markmcd]

Funny how Apple has supported Fitbit by selling there products in Apple Stores everywhere. Maybe they should take them off the shelves and send them back if fitbit if Fitbit doesn't want to play nice!

[Katie_Brown]

Map my run integration would be awesome!!!

[AshDonaldson]

I just bought another FitBit assuming your would be connecting to HealthKit. Looks like I'll be putting it in the drawer and buying another UP by jawbone this afternoon...

[vincetg2]

Please add HealthKit support. I would love a unified wellness view.

[julianm]

I originally chose the Fitbit Aria over Withings because its industrial design is significantly better and Fitbit seemed to have a better overall ecosystem.

However, now the network my doctor is a part of supports HealthKit and the Withings scale supports HealthKit. It'd be nice to have all this data together.

[TDurbin]

Please remember to give the Fitbit app a 1 star rating in the App Store & 1 Star ratings on Amazon, Best Buy, Apple Store, & any other relevant retailers. Keep the conversation alive in here, on Twitter, & on Facebook. It is clear what everyone wants and Fitbit is still ignoring their customers. The only way they will fold is with continued pressure & discussion. You can change your ratings back when Fitbit does the right thing.

[streckercm]

When I pre-ordered the original fitbit I was excited about the possibilities of wearable devices. I even purchased a few of the upgraded models over the years.

Fitbit accepts data from other services but has always been a poor sport with sharing data. I understand this data has value to your premium services, but I would like to be able to share this data with other services.

I hope you reconsider this policy. Until then I will no longer be able to recommend fitbit products to my friends and family. I will also have to look for an alternative device to replace my fitbit.

[SunsetRunner]

I have been checking every day the "Update" section of the App store to see if there was a new version of the Fitbit app that would feed info into the Healthkit app. So disappointed it has not happened yet. I just finally decided to check the Fitbit website and I see that I am not the only one waiting. My Fitbit Ultra is great, discreet (i don't want a bracelet, nor a watch when it comes out as I have my own jewelry). I am dying to get the connected scale too but I am now waiting until the data feeds into the Healthkit. I know my iPhone can count my steps too but that's a little bulky to carry around all day... Hurry, Fitbit app developers.

[SunsetRunner]

As with the rest of everyone here, I was shocked by the news that Fitbit doesn't plan to integrate with HealthKit. I originally chose Fitbit because the (industrial) design of the product was great, but also because the company appeared to be going the right direction with focus on simple and beautiful products and a great mobile experience. But the lack of openness especially towards HealthKit (and while I am ranting, SmartThings) is very closed minded. I've been logging my weight in the Fitbit app the last year and I always expected that those data points were mine and someday they would become more useful. HealthKit provides an amazing way to share those data points with other useful apps and services. My plea to Fitbit is: Please, get on board and open up. You've still got me for a few weeks for you to change your mind, otherwise, I jump ship.

[SunsetRunner]

After posting my rant, I read that Fitbit is asking for why it should integrate with HealthKit. Here are a few of my reasons:

• Share my health information with my doctor
• Integrate with other HealthKit apps
• integrate with other HealthKit hardware

For example, I prefer the FitPort app for entering my weight. I'm also expecting SmartThings and IFTTT HealthKit integration so this would open up a whole new set of technology my Fitbit can work with. I'm also planning on purchasing many other non-Fitbit health devices and I'd like integration there as well. HealthKit is a beautiful way to share health data, why wouldn't fitbit want to leverage that?

[tombtc]

I'd very much appreciate FitBit integrating with iOS 8's healthkit.

I personally do not care if FitBit pulls data from healthkit all I am concerned with is FitBit pushing steps counted on my FitBit one as well as my weight from my FitBit Aria.

I spent a significant amount of money on these products and I'd appreciate it if FitBit stood behind them. If not I'll be taking my business elsewhere in the future.

[Gloutchov]

I hope top that Fitbit will integrate Apple HealthKit!

[simon82]

My Fitbit is listed on ebay already, 

just visited this thread to see if there is ANY progress with the case.

Well no is the answer.

I have been using UP24 for last 4 days and I love it, not to mention Health integration!

I actually hope they will pay for mistakes like this!!

[swemoney]

FitBit asked me to explain why and what I'm looking for in HealthKit integration and directed me here so I'll add my reasons and suggestions here.

• First of all, as a developer, I know how trivial it is to add at least basic HealthKit functionality to an app and the fact that FitBit came up with an incredible hollow and vague reason for NOT integrating just frustrates me to no end. Obviously, with the current backend that FitBit has in store, I understand it will be less trivial to manage both data stores at the same time, but sharing FitBit data with HealthKit is a huge first step and the most trivial part.
• I don't use the FitBit app for everything. I currently only own the Aria and do like it. But I would sure as hell like it a lot better if it provided my weight and stats to EVERY app that I currently use or will use in the future considering that weight/body fat is one of the few things that most everything fitness app asks for at some point.
• I was in the market for a movement/sleep tracker and FitBit was an obvious choice considering I already have my scale, but if the data is going to stay locked in to the FitBit app, then I'm definitely going to lean towards any of the other countless fitness trackers that are willing to share their information.
• My workouts generally consist of multiple apps. I have an app that connects and records my heart rate from my Bluetooth HRM. I have a separate app that also watches my heart rate and reports it to my Pebble watch. I have an app that lets me records how much weight I do on each exercise I do and suggests workouts based on data it has collected. I have a FitBit app that wirelessly talks to my scale and records my weight and body fat. Before HealthKit, none of these apps could talk to each other so getting a good overall representation of my health was impossible. With HealthKit, as these apps integrate and share their data as well as collect the data from these other devices, a complete picture can start to take shape and encourage me to do more to records as much data as I can.

The huge amount of data that HealthKit can record is fantastic for everyone involved! The apps that weren't collecting certain information in the past (because a user enjoyed another app for that particular activity, for instance) can now have access to that missing information. Users benefit from a central location where all of their data is recorded and stored. Apps that are already good at analyzing data and presenting interesting conclusions from that data will only get better from here. I, personally, will be placing a heavy weight on any company that supports HealthKit any time I'm in the market for new hardware or software to increase my health and fitness and I will almost immediately discount any company who isn't supporting it. Especially if it doesn't sound like they have any real reason not to.

Thanks for listening, if this isn't just a publicity thing so it sounds like you're hearing what your customers are saying. I don't think it's surprising to hear that I would never have dreamt of dropping $100 on a scale at any time in my life but I'm not disappointed in it one bit. I am considering buying a withings scale, though, if FitBit doesn't give me some indication that HealthKit support is coming soon.

[martinridge]

Please do intergrate with Apple Health app.  Thanks.

[AlbDusty]

I've explained what I want in a previous post. I'm here to let you know I've started my reasearch for a different activity tracker and scale that use HealthKit. Once I find something I like I'll probably get them if Fitbit doesn't make a public statement that they will implement HealthKit.

Fitbit: I understand that you have a business model to protect, but this time you have to think really hard if it's going to attract more customers than HealthKit. I'd say no, but I don't have access to the numbers you have. And to be honest, any minute wasted now debating your next move (something which you should have made in June when Apple announced HealthKit) is losing you customers. I've stopped recommending you for now to my friends and my friends who own Jawbone Up 24 are making fun of the whole situation, considering that I always recommended you guys. Lesson learned.

[ericluxury]

I bought a Fitbit because I wanted data about myself, not because I wanted another company hording data about me in hopes that it could sell me more crap I don't want. Allow me to use the data that is gathered with an app thats native to my phone and has to the potential to really be helpful in terms of Health monitoring.

Seriously and do it fast. This is a really, really crappy move. You are not even close to the only game in town.

[MarkG76]

@SunsetRunner Fitbit already has an IFTTT channel 
https://ifttt.com/p/fitbit/shared
or did you mean something else ? 

[Zugbug]

Just felt I had to say this again. 

I think the real telling thing here is that Fitbit works with Microsoft health vault but not Apple HealthKit. To me that says that between the 2 companies there is some personality conflict or fitbit is looking for some sort of payback. Either way it's political and Fitbit is letting us be pawns in their game. Not a good way to do business.