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.

[8a22a]

This is already the highest voted feature request. What more can we do?

[Bluejay]

@David-London said:

There should be no great priority to integrate with Apple HeathKit. The online dashboard and associated app display the collected data from Fitbit products in a clear and coherent user interface. Apple product dominance relies on our heavy dependence on them to manage our data. The more personal data that we share, the more dependant we become and the more we feel the need to share more data.The perception will always be that as Apple releases more data handling "Kits" for OSX and iOS we may feel that we need to take advantage of them. Don't lose sight on what Fitbit has to offer now and in then future.

Yet there are flaws with the fitbit system. I can not enter my blood sugar on the app. I have to use the dashboard. That means I can't enter it when I take my blood sugar while out and about and I have remember to take time out to do it on the computer. That is bother. It will not get done. And because it is manually entered, and I'm doing it at the end of a long day, the chance of data trascription errors goes up. That makes that data worse than useless.

If it was not for diabetes I would not care about intergration so much, their are people using fitness to help manage complex health conditions, and fitbit does not collect the nessage data with a device or link to device makers that do.

So there. It is needed.

[Bluejay]

There should be no great priority to integrate with Apple HeathKit. The online dashboard and associated app display the collected data from Fitbit products in a clear and coherent user interface. Apple product dominance relies on our heavy dependence on them to manage our data. The more personal data that we share, the more dependant we become and the more we feel the need to share more data.The perception will always be that as Apple releases more data handling "Kits" for OSX and iOS we may feel that we need to take advantage of them. Don't lose sight on what Fitbit has to offer now and in then future.

Yet there are flaws with the fitbit system. I can not enter my blood sugar on the app. I have to use the dashboard. That means I can't enter it when I take my blood sugar while out and about and I have remember to take time out to do it on the computer. That is bother. It will not get done. And because it is manually entered, and I'm doing it at the end of a long day, the chance of data trascription errors goes up. That makes that data worse than useless.

If it was not for diabetes I would not care about intergration so much, their are people using fitness to help manage complex health conditions, and fitbit does not collect the nessage data with a device or link to device makers that do.

So there. It is needed.

[Bluejay]

Anyone here leave for other devices?

I would love to hear your comparisons to fitbit. Contact me off site. knightshade3 at yahoo dot com.

[Bluejay]

Fitbit @zapleahy @RickyFitbit,

Every day we hear nothing from fitbit; no yes, no no, no reason - is more time for use to entertain conspiracy theories about why Fitbit has taking the path we are now on.

Is Fitbit doing this so they can sell our data?

Is fitbit doing this because the data is not accurate?

Just imagine how damaging those unansered questions are to your brand. Because the longer we hear nothing, the more likely we are to assume the answer is yes.

[glu0n]

For me it is very simple. Either integration with Apple's health app is offered soon by Fitbit, or I will get a new device that does offer it.

[gohoos]

Well, what good timing.

The belt clip on my ultra snapped in two today.

Maybe it is time for a change...

[Delvian]

First off I love my fitbit. Even though it has broken and needed to be replaced twice I have stuck with the brand. The customer service has been great and the product has done what I wanted and expected it to do. Until now. HealthKit integration is something so basic I assumed fitbit would have incorporated it immediately. Everything else syncs wonderfully but not my steps. It is so frustrating to open lark after a 45 min workout and have it say "you've been active for 9 minutes today!" While this is something seemingly minor it IS an annoyance. As more apps utilize HealthKit I want fitbit data to be utilized as well. And because of this, if fitbit doesn't allow HealthKit support, I'll be finding a new tracker that does.

[PeteL]

I waited for the Apple announcement to see if they were releasing a simple fitness band. When they came out with the Watch I wasn't interested so I got a Fitbit Flex on the basis that it would send my steps data, active minutes, sleep data etc to Healthkit where I could see all of my health related data in one place. Please make this happen - we are up to 866 votes now and that's just the people who have taken the time and effort to find this thread.

Update:

Reading through pages of this thread and no response from the Company left a bad taste. I have just returned the unopened Fitbit Flex I had bought for my wife and have been researching alternatives. I really like the look of the Garmin Vivosmart - already Healthkit integrated and showing signs of listening to customer feedback to improve the app and features.

[Anomoly]

I think starting with simple. Syncing steps, calories, activity, sleep. Even if you only sync Steps and Sleep, I would be happy. 

What say you Fitbit?

btw my last post someone said something about gaining new customers vs keeping current ones - 

It's harder to earn new customers than it is to keep current ones. People get stuck in their habits and bubbles and tend not to venture out unless motivated one way or another to do so. There is always exceptions but think about the last time you tried a new food place, a different grocery store, a new coffee shop, new clothing brand/store etc. 

It's even harder to gain back a previous loyal customer because of a poor decision. Time is ticking. 

[McRibIsBack]

I'd really love to see FitBit add HealthKit support. I have a Withings blood pressure monitor that I use daily and it would be great to be able to tie that all together with the data that I'm already collecting with my FitBit. I've found a way to push blood pressure and heart rate readings from Withings to FitBit without HealthKit, but it's way more complicated than it should be and it only moves the data over once a day. Withings does support HealthKit and that data is available in the Health app immediately.

That said, I wouldn't mind the lack of HealthKit support as much if the FitBit iOS app was better. It doesn't even show blood pressure or heart rate readings, yet that data can be collected and viewed on their web dashboard. It's not optimized for the larger iPhones. If you track an exercise using the GPS option in the app, it doesn't apply your active minutes from that activity. They just disappear. And if you are tracking an activity using GPS within the app, you can't get back to your dashboard. All their support staff will tell you is to add it as a feature request and let people vote on it.

I think FitBit sees HealthKit as some kind of threat since it would free up the data collected by their devices to be used elsewhere, but HealthKit could actually benefit FitBit by allowing FitBit to accept data from devices they don't even compete with like blood pressure monitors. If FitBit would collect the blood pressure data I'm already collecting in Withings, pushing to HealthKit, and present it along side the rest of step, weight, floors, etc. data that's already in FitBit, the only reason I'd need the Withings app would be to take my blood pressure. I wouldn't need to use it to review historical data and could rely on FitBit for that.

[Bluejay]

Interesting.

Last post by a mod was on Monday.

Want to place bets?

Mods,

I know you have a hard job. I once was 1st level tech support. I also know what it is to be top tier support too.

Tell your bosses that I'm going to Best Buy tomorrow to get a new tracker. It is not a fitbit tracker. I'm not going only because of the lack of integration. I'm ditching fitbit because of the behavior of the company toward its customers.

I have spelled out numerous times what I think of how the company has connected to us.

Things customers do not like.

Secretive behavior. "We aren't working on integration because we are dedicated to exciting new projects that we won't tell you about..."

PR via leaks are straight out cowardly, and they have all been done when you are getting bad PR over not integrating.

Asking us to reveal info about our use of your system, why being very cagey about things.

I don't trust Fitbit with my data any longer. That is why I'm leaving. I've made my choice, and fitbit has made it easy to walk away, despite loving my clasic, then my one, and loving the community.

[Bluejay]

Fitbit's fear blinded them to the great posibilities.

I would have happily used health kit to transfer blood glucose data to fitbit, since you can't enter it on the app and doing it on the website is not practicle. But now I'll be using someone elses app, someone who gets it.

[dcarn]

I just returned my Force under the recall. Even with a 15% discount on the Charge, I won't buy a new one unless there is quick committment to integrate with HealthKit. I now wish I could return my Aria scale too and exchange it for a Withings. I bought into the Aria because FitBit was up on screen at the iOS 8 keynote introducing HealthKit.

As it stands today with no HealthKit integration, I'll wait for my refund check and put it towards an Apple Watch Sport. $129 in the bank means I'll only need to spend another $120 to get an Apple Watch which will have far more functionality and better design. I'd give the Charge a try in the meantime and considering there is not yet a ship date for Apple Watch, but not without HealthKit support.

While I've appreciated my Force and even convinced my wife and friends to buy into the FitBit ecosystem, I can't support a company that works against its users.

[Karell]

@Bluejay "has anyone had any luck ebaying their fitbits?" I can't sell it in good conscience, besides … would anyone pay enough to cover the eBay fees? I thought once I get a new tracker I might put the Fitbit on one of my cats just for fun. I wonder what that would do to M$' data collection & mining? Hehe 😜

[TeRRyZx]

'Microsoft Health' App for Upcoming Wearable Leaks as Google Launches HealthKit Rival

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/29/microsoft-health-app-google-fit/

Microsoft Unveils $199 'Microsoft Band' Fitness Wearable

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/29/microsoft-band-wearable/

[Mikey1234]

I threw my Fitbit one in the garbage can. I didn't want to give them thre opportunity to sell someone elses personal data.

[8a22a]

Well I think it's time to:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-deactivate-my-account/?q=delete+account&...

[Stuart_H]

I understand that Fitbit might feel they are being marginalised in an industry sector that they help create by tech giants and want to rally against it but it’s ultimately doomed to failure. Surely a better strategy is to collaborate to drive innovation and stay ahead of less nimble tech giants.

On more personal level I’d like Fitbit to integrate with Health Kit because I want a single data set, I want to wear the frankly beautiful but expense Apple Watch at work etc but wear my more durable and less expansive Flex when I play hockey.

[ssmurphy]

now that Microsoft is coming after your milkshake 

http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/29/looks-like-microsoft-just-leaked-its-own-fitness-band/

You should open your data to Apple Health Kit before Fitbit is the last company to do so.

The thinking that your partnership with using Microsoft Health was holding you back from sending data to Apple Health Kit.

Now your partner (Microsoft) seems to be more then willing to release hardware now that will do (Charge HR, Surge) same things your hardware will do sometime in the future (early 2015).

Ouch, that must hurt!

[bernhub]

Yes please! I would like to see the weight measurements from Aria and the nutrition, fitness + sleep data from Fitbit Flex on my iHealth app. I don't see any reason to get a smartwatch from Apple if Fitbit integrates, its much easier to enter information into the Fitbit app and I've already bought into it, mostly because our local iStore was selling it so I thought it should play nicely with Apple, why should Fitbit start making it hard for iPhone users suddenly?

[Vectrex71]

WTF!

[tscibilia]

In the interest of helping "people lead healthier, more active lives, so we’re always looking for ways that our users can use their data to support their fitness goals" you would be potentially helping over 300 million iphone users (estimated sales in the last two years). There is a direct marketing competition with the future apple watch ($100 more expensive than the future fitbit surge). In my opinion fitbit markets a product more affordably which is more likely to be purchased due to the years of research and development. 

By integrating with HealthKit you would be essentially syncing the tracking data collected for the sole benefit of the end user. As you know we download many health apps that track many different metrics in our lives. Your network of supported apps that intergrate with your API take advatange of this but it's a two way street. Enough people want a concise place to read, montior and share their health data with doctors and trainers and a variety of other reasons. By sandboxing your app from HealthKit your are essentially putting yourselves in a positions with other companies and apps like CurrentC, Bose, Google, et al. which are no loger sold or marketed by apple.

Fitbit had a amazing opportunity by being included in slides during apple's announcement of HealthKit. By deciding to integrate, your are helping the end user collect and sort data, it's not replacing the fitbit app at all. Your choosing to be involved in the market you began, not take a back seat. Your choosing to put your customers interests first, not allowing them to seek alternative products that meet their wishes. Your not making your app iOS specific or excluding andriod by syncing with healthkit, you are still collecting the same data your just allowing ios users use the phone the way it was intended with the devices and product they've grown to love. 

With all that said i had to throw an ultimatum, but i've already stopped using my fitbit becuase of this and if HealthKit integration is not a planned annoucement prior to the sale of the apple watch, you just lost another sale.

[Bluejay]

Fitbit,

Apple made a mistake, they were going to pull the widget of popular app. They heard that was not popular with their customers. The reversed their desision.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/30/apple-reverses-course-on-calculator-widgets/

Is fitbit able to do that or have you decided that it is more important to be firm?

[bbarrera]

Given price and features, the Microsoft Band is by far a more serious competitor to Fitbit than the high-end Apple Watch.

[RickyFitbit]

Hello everyone! 

Thanks for your feedback @McRibIsBack . We're always thinking about the next big "thing" and will be choosing which ones to  implement in our future trackers and apps. The Charge HR and Surge wristbands have all day heart rate sensors, so your minute per minute heart rate data will be displayed on the wristband itself, and both the web dashboard and mobile app. All in all, your reasoning behind why integration for HealthKit is very compelling. I'll make sure your statements are heard and will forward them to be reviewed. 

@Bluejay Hi again! You're very passionate about this issue. Thanks for your insight on what customers like. We're taking notes and I'll make sure my bosses know. I'll also make sure my boss knows the reasoning behind your purchasing decisions. As always, thanks for your feedback. 

@dcarn We will always be here for our users. iOS users in specific, are the first users to receive the most up to date features, such as bar code scanning, MobileRun, MobileTrack etc. We're still reviewing integration with HealthKit and watching it as it matures. Thanks for your feedback. 

@Karell  Hi again! Wow, I'm seeing you all over the Community! Your One tracker is not designed for cats, or pets for that matter, so we don't suggest doing that, but, it's your Fitbit. You may do as you wish. I'm sorry to hear that you've changed your mind about your One tracker after our stance on HealthKit. It seems like you enjoyed it for a very long time until recently.

@TeRRyZx Google is coming out with their "HealthKit" app too! Yeah, that will be quite interesting. So, will be the Microsoft Band! I personally believe that the "one size fits all" model is boring, so why not have options for everyone!

@Mikey1234 I'd like to make something clear to everyone. We (Fitbit) do not sell information collected from Fitbit products, period. Fitbit users are in full control of when or if they share their data. All sharing settings are set to private as the default, and a user actively needs to change those settings and actively consent to share any data. You can view our full privacy policy by going to www.fitbit.com/privacy.

@Stuart_H Thanks for your feedback and I will make sure it's forwarded for review. 

@ssmurphy "Our milkshake brings all the companies to the yard..." We're excited to see so many companies in the market! One reason why I think we integrate with HealthVault is because it's compatible with ALL devices. You should also check out the list of apps with whom we integrate. 

@bernhub Thanks for your feedback. I'm not quite sure what you mean by making it hard for iPhone users. Can you clarify for me? This sounds like something that should be reviewed.

@Vectrex71 I'm sorry you feel that way. We're still evaluating integration with HealthKit. We haven't decided yet but would like to see it's development. I do have to say, Flex and iPhone look great together!