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.

[bdrake47]

Workaround using partner apps is RunGap as posted earlier and Digifit for sleep data. Ridiculous to have to install two extra apps just to get data to Health app when Fitbit could do it natively.

[sscroggi]

I would love to have Fitbit intregratedsscroggi with HealthKit, right now I have to manually input updates.

[spitf1r3]

Hi,

Why are you only still 'considering' NOT locking out people who paid $ for your scale out of THEIR data? This is ridiculous..

[lhopcroft]

I have recently heard that apps that connect with Health Kit on IOS must protect the privacy of the customer's information.  I really like that policy from Apple.  Some sites are questioning if the reason Fitbit is not on Health Kit is that Fitbit may want to sell or otherwise use customer information for commercial purposes. Do you currently sell or share my information?  Do you plan to do so in the future?  I hope not, and I hope that you decide to participate in Health Kit.

Thanks

[vicki12]

There is hope on the horizon.  I just updated to version 2.5.2.  Details include the following:

"P.S.  We are indeed working on support for iPhone 6 and 6 plus displays.  Stay tuned!"  

I love my Apple devices and Fitbit.  It would be great so see full integration with Healthkit.  Otherwise, I might have to look at at the competition, which would be a shame.  Thank you,  in advance, Fitbit, for listening and stepping up to the plate.  Hope to continue being a loyal Fitbit and Apple user for a long time.

[exuser]

vicki12, sadly that update only refers to the higher resolution display of the iphone 6. It has nothing to do with Healthkit support. The note you mention only means that they are working on updating the app to support higher resolution on the display. They have stated that no decision on Healthkit is coming until 2015.

They have yet to step up to the plate. Not sure if they are even in the stadium.

Somehow they found the time to add support for unreleased products to the current fitbit app, but can't decide whether to support existing products with the existing healthkit app.

[vicki12]

exuser, thanks for the clarification.  I think this means I need to look for compatible devices elsewhere.  Very sad indeed.

[Foolchild]

Please integrate with health kit! 

[drwster]

I have to say i've really enjoyed using my Fitbit Flex, and liked the look of the Force before it was withdrawn. I've even been looking at scales that would record my BMI automatically and upload.

However, without #healthkit support, I will not be buying any product from Fitbit in the future. The Aria purchase i was about to make will now be spent with Withings who already integrate with Healthkit and I will be looking for a new sleep tracker and so will be either Withings or Jawbone.

Your decision has certainly made this up until now very happy Fitbit customer now exclude you from future purchases.

[GuyD]

I use an array of health apps to help me record my activity and diabetes related data.  Forever, it's been a real challenge to view this in a consistent way.  All my other apps have taken the plunge.  Some were ready on the day of release of iOS 8.  Others took a bit longer.  FitBit is the last hold-out and it's really disappointing.  As, no doubt, others have commented it has to have an influence on future purchasing choices.  I'd love to have the data from a FitBit Charge HR (I currently have a Flex) along with MapMyRide/MapMyWalk and MySugr all merged into a consistent view and be able to take all that aggregate data for some correlation into a preferred app.

[sfkeydel]

Amazing. Paying customers who purchased your devices (step trackers, scales, etc) are being told flat-out to look elsewhere for their next purchase. These particular customers are well-known to generate more revenue than their counterparts on other platforms. Do you really believe that these customers are going to choose FitBit over their platform of choice?

Very short-sighted; it will backfire.

[kmckean]

Yes, definitely would prefer full integration. Reasoning:

-- Yes, as  a hardware maker, Fitbit does face a threat from Apple's integration of the M8 chip. But that won't deter Apple, obviously. The integrated M8 is a permanent feature of the competitive environment, so Q is only how best to respond.

-- If FB responds by isolating its community, it preserves revenue flow for a while -- since people are locked into the FB solution and will leave it only slow -- but also guarantees that each customer lost is a customer lost forever. Cause as people say, well heck with FB, I'm switching to Apple (or other providers), they will never come back. They're gone.

-- If FB responds by opening newly collected data to HealthKit and vice versa, then the points of competition become 1) how easy the data is to collect (which FB does well), and 2) how well the app (FB vs HK) displays and analyzes the data. FB will do fine in that competition, and people who are existing customers and members of FB community will stick around for their history of data (which may not be shared with Apple) in the FB app, plus the new developments that FB introduces.

My thoughts. Thanks! Kevin

[vicki12]

Kevin, very thoughtful comments.  I totally agree, especially with the second point.  

[earthtoandy]

Yeah Kevin, you hit it all right on the head.

Its small minded and shortsided to not see healthkit for what it is: a portal to aggregate your data. Fitbit does a lot of things but no one fitness or diet app does it all. Beyond that there will be a time when we are syncing more info than just the stuff we have now... including integrating medical records. Fitbit doesnt do this and probably has no interest doing it, but they are preventing their users from taking their data and product, which is useful for the subset of health it covers, and making it so our data is useless and cannot be added to the bigger picture. 

Healthkit is NOT the inteface, it is the file repository which allows for all that data to be shared and used. I use the Withings app to actually view my data as it shows it much nicer... and it is what I have chosen to move to from Fitbit since their scale is integrated, has more features, and their app is superb. Fitbit is missing the opportunity to integrate and leverage healthkit to increase their business, but instead they are quarrantining themselves and making it so that data is useless beyond the tiny fitbit ecosystem... Healthkit is opening up the health montioring world and fitbit is going to be left out by their own choice.

[Fidgetyrat]

Be honest Fitbit, your ecosystem is dated and inferior to FREE services out there. It's time to focus on the hardware (I'm on my third fitbit flex due to their aparantly short lifespan) and just allow US to choose which software we export into and how we use OUR health data.

[Gorgon]

Anyone have any recommendations of what other brand I can replace my One with? I like these things about the One
Size: very good
Battery like: good
Sleep tracking: ok
Steps/stairs tracking: good
Activity level tracking: good
Weather resistance: not good

[Mikey1234]

There is a new program in the app store called sync solver.  Price is .99.  It says it will sync all fitbit data to healthkit.  I have not tried it as I threw my fitbit away and replaced it with Withings.  Some of you may want to try it.

[ChrisCA]

This iOS app from iTunes store should sync Fitbit data to Healh kit.

I have not yet downloaded or tried it.

See this -> Sync Solver for Fitbit

[zapleahy]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Your commentary is helpful as we continue to evaluate an integration with HealthKit.

@lhopcroft Fitbit takes data security and user privacy very seriously. Fitbit does not sell information collected from Fitbit products, period. All sharing settings are set to private as the default, and you would need to actively change those settings and consent to share any data. Please consult our Privacy Policy and reach out to Support directly if you have any specific concerns.

[Karell]

Plain English translation: When you consent to sharing data with your friends, you're also giving Fitbit permission to sell your data.

[Karell]

I notice that @zapleahy and @RickyFitbit have carefully avoided my other concern. Fitbit offers Microsoft HealthVault as an 'alternative' to Apple Health; has M$ committed not to sell your data? Is Fitbit being paid by M$ for sending them new users? Apple has committed not to sell our data, and there is no 3rd party involved in aggregating it. Apple can't sell our data from Health because the data resides on our devices; it is never sent to Apple. To offer M$ as an 'alternative' insults our intelligence. No thanks.

[Mockingjay]

Here are the facts.

My friend a faithful fitbit user has a new tracker not from fitbit. She gave her one to her husband because his classic was on its last legs. Their family will not be getting anymore fitbit products. She feels the way many here do, not liking the response to this.

I'm using my phone to track, while all the new trackers come out and get reviewed. I will not be considering any fitbit products.

I will be watching this develope, out of morbid curiousity. I am looking forward to one day learning why fitbit decided to wait breathing the dust of their competitors.

I just keep wondering who were the 12 mobile apps the FTC found sharing data with third parties.

[gutsma]

@Mockingjay - I am doing the same as you at the moment.  Initially I was going to run out and purchase a new tracker from a different company.  Then I realized it made more sense for me to use my iPhone for tracking while waiting the new products being introduced in time for Christmas or shortly thereafter.

It's amazing how quickly I've adjusted to carrying my phone around everywhere I go!  t's easier when wearing clothing with nice pockets, but I've been known to just pick it up and carry it in my hands.  It's not nearly as problematic as I had anticipated.

So, FitBit, I publicly express my gratitude to you and your corporate decision makers.  Had it not been for your narrow-minded, thoughtless, insensitive, and downright rude treatment of your iPhone customers, I never would have even tried using my phone for tracking.  I never would have considered purchasing an apple watch - especially NOT a first generation one.  As you can see, because of your behavior choices, I've made a few of my own. 

I had, instead planned on purchasing from Tory Burch.  Am I ever glad your decision regarding Health Kit came before that purchase.  Speaking of Tory Burch.  I find it interesting her designs are only for the Flex.  Obviously, your concern for your partnerships benefitting ALL fitbit users is hogwash.  

Since I've shot that argument to hell, why don't you consider disclosing your reasoning?  Quite frankly, it probably won't make any difference to me and my family's purchasing decisions, but it might to some.

Oh, in case you haven't noticed, the Emperor has no clothes.

[UCMonkey]

Sync Solver Totally works.....I'm still leaving Fitbit because of the ridiculous way they have treated their customer but at least now I have my Data for the past 4 years I was with Fitbit…Can’t believe they are so close minded. This will cost them a ton of customers….

[Mockingjay]

PS.

My friend is not just a long term fitbit customer, whe was a premium member willing to hand over money every year to download CSV files and have the Trainer.

Now that she is on a new tracker, fitbit is losing that money every year.

She is good enough at math to determine a formula to calculate what her new goal should be each week to increase her activity, just like that trainer. She says it was just a 2% increase each week over 12 weeks.