Image via Engadget
Samsung has just announced a health-focused event that will take place on May 28th, just days before Apple is set to unveil its next-generation mobile and desktop operating systems at WWDC, including the expected announcement of the company’s Healthbook software.
We’re going to go out on a limb here and assume that Samsung really wants to take credit for kicking off the “health” craze and capture as much attention as possible as the “first” to the game, but will likely end up sorely disappointed when Apple comes along and dominates the news cycle the following week. Again.
As we have previously reported, Apple is planning to reveal a health-focused application along with iOS 8 next month. This software will be paired with a piece of fitness hardware, possibly with some Nike software integration, that is being designed by a team of health and fitness experts recruited by Apple over the past year.
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Oh, when will samsung learn?
They learned after the leak of iOS 8’s health book
Haha! Word.
Samsung is pushing this health stuff since the galaxy s4 last year. So it must be in development for at least 2 years now. I guess they saw how big of a market fitbit, runtastic etc is and decided they can differentiate from other OS makers by shipping Touchwiz with some proprietary health software included.
Apple hat not announced anything in this direction, and even the rumours are younger that Samsung’s efforts.
that crappy fingerprint sensor in the new Galaxy is an example of Samsung trying to catch up to Apple. “Healthbook”, if it exists, is Apple trying to catch up to Samsung.
Be prepared for the backlash that comes when you cite actual facts on this site.
How big is that market? Tell me…I’m interested in knowing.
Because its actually frigging miniscule.
Regardless of what Mr. Robertson said, I cannot disagree with much of what you said.
I will disagree with the one very much non-factual, as it is opinion, part of your statement. “Healthbook”, if it exist, is not Apple trying to catch up to Samsung. This should be obvious by your very own logic. Unless, you believe that Apple doesn’t spend years developing their technology, just as you state Samsung does.
This move into the health field isn’t Apple responding to Samsung nor is it Samsung responding to Apple. It is both of these companies responding to the success and growth of the health technology market. They are both responding to Jawbone and Fitbit and Nike and others.
Contrary to popular belief both of these companies are capable of developing ideas that don’t require a response to the other.
That being said, it does reek of desperation that Samsung felt the need to try and co-opt Apple’s WWDC and its supposed announcement of “Healthbook”. If they were truly confident in their product, which as you said has a year advantage, then I don’t think they would need to pull this lame game. The truth is more to the point that both Samsung and Apple are doing their normal thing. Samsung rushes to the market with a half-baked response to competition (in this case Fitibt et al.) while Apple takes its time to release a better product. Samsung instead of spending time, effort, and money on improving their product instead pumps copious amounts of cash into marketing and gimmicks. If Apple’s Healthbook is a success then a year after Apple releases Healthbook Samsung will change their health product to emulate Apple’s, possibly right down to the icons and graphics.
This will of course lead to a lawsuit because Apple will feel, rightfully so, that Samsung is infringing on Apple’s hard work and IP. Samsung, and their apologist, will then counter with, “Apple is trying to claim bars and triangles and colors.” and “Even if we are it isn’t worth more then two cents.” and “It is obvious, just don’t ask us why we didn’t see it until after Apple did it.” …
Move along. Nothing new here to see.
You sir, are completely wrong….it was since the s3 that they had s-health :). That was around July of 2012, almost two years. Like others have said, it is expected that Apple will do it right, the watches have been….less than impressive, even that said Sony was the first to market (by my recollection) in the “smartwatch” area. Not first, just done right (hopefully :) ).
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/2/3131468/samsung-s-health-weight-blood-sugar-galaxy-s-iii
Sorry Mike, can’t agree. If you check the link you will see that Samsung had their health app announced in May 2012, complete with integration for several third party peripherals (glucose monitors, scales, etc). As a developer I can tell you that type of integration doesn’t happen overnight. I do not like Samsungs copying in other areas any more than the next person, but must give credit where credit is due.
Check it out: http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/2/3131468/samsung-s-health-weight-blood-sugar-galaxy-s-iii
This is all speculative and no one here has any real facts to back anything up. No one knows how long Apple has been working on / planning health related features or devices. Samsung’s offerings so far are pretty weak and they have a proven track record of trying to get stuff to market first rather than working on it until they get it right. Apple could be working on this for the past 2 years, we just don’t know.
Hahah Apple isn’t trying to ‘catch up’ to Samsung with healthbook. They are doing Wearables right, with biosensors. Everyone else doesn’t know what they are doing.
As others have already stated, it’s not the dates or ‘facts’ that anyone will dispute, it’s your interpretation of said facts. Apple is not catching up to anyone. As of right now, its difficult to even say a market currently exists for wearables. It’s a market that is getting dabbled in. It’s very very small and so far most players are unsuccessful. Samsung’s watches are duds. Nike is pulling out of hardware. The Fitbit is still struggling to be profitable. And while Samsung may have laid some groundwork of their own in the race to mobile/health/fitness integration their own PR statement confirms they haven’t gotten very far.
So this notion of Apple catching up reads like all of the linkbait articles out there saying Apple is doomed.
Preempting a competitor’s show is certainly okay, its competition. But it’s a tactic that anyone in a leading position would never take. Followers and those in 2nd place use that tactic to gain much needed attention. Samsung is a distant 2nd place and they act like it.
https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/05/23Nike-and-Apple-Team-Up-to-Launch-Nike-iPod.html
This was before the first iPhone.
But what’s the point if people aren’t health crazed. I really don’t see a point unless it actually helps… not sure S-health is useful if you don’t input information manually.
I think that a phone that is able to accurately interact with a person’s body could be a really useful tool. It is now just a race to see who will have the best implementation.
As for the whole “Samsung copying” angle on the story: I know we shouldn’t be so quick to jump on them when they introduce something new, but I really find it hard to believe that they would be entering the medical-tech area if Apple weren’t heavily rumored to be going into it. We’ll see who does it better
People are ignorant as to their health, and nutrition is an incredible problem. Obesity and it’s related diseases, like diabetes, are a growing pandemic. Health care treatment costs for these diseases are staggeringly high, and will continue to greatly incline if the trends do not change. The problem is the obscene lack of knowledge as to what humans should eat, and the misinformation and general poor science that has driven people to consume less fat, specifically saturated, and instead, eat more refined, carbohydrate laden foods. The proliferation of fast food restaurants and quick, easy, and cheap refined and terrible, processed foods has further deteriorated the health of western society.
The focus should not be on trying to get people to exercise, because while it is beneficial for many reasons, studies have shown it is very poor as a weigh loss tool. Instead, the focus should be on preventative medicine, and the best prevention for a myriad of diseases is proper nutrition.
This health focus is incredibly interesting, and I’m extremely excited for the future of it, but it won’t change much if the focus is exercise. Also, the manual input of data will never work, it’s just too complicated and time-consuming. If any of this is to be beneficial to the vast majority, it must be done automatically. There are numerous apps that allow you to input information manually, but that will never be used by the vast majority.
Yep you hit the nail on the head: o0smoothies0o ! The road to health is eating right. Whole grains, non-GMO, no processing…in other words, shop in the fruit and vegetable section of the store. Purifed water (get a filter and make it yourself) . There is no software that can do this for you. people are looking for a magic pill, cell phone health apps are just the latest thing. If this is your idea of watching your health, go back to the drawing board .
Hypochondria. Pure hypochondria, California nonsense.
Thaaaanks.
PMZanetti please elaborate? You are either deliberately ignorant, or simply unintelligent. Actually there is a third possibility, you are extremely self conscious about your personal health, be it weight or diet, and therefore deny facts (like the obesity and diabetes pandemics).
“California nonsense”?
Apple is the one based in California.
Is that really the tagline? “A new conversation about health is about to begin…be there when it starts.” Does this company even have a marketing department?
Shamesung has started its photocopiers already…
… I hope it’s a big trap aimed at getting back at Shamesung in court for copyright infringement.
The apple rumor websites are the key source of Samsung’s creativity.
Samsung’s “Innovation” – I’m pretty sure those Galaxy Fit smartwatch design was based on the concept renderings of Apple’s popsicle device.
Considering how often the rumor websites are correct, they certainly aren’t the source of Apple’s work – until Samsung does it, of course.
How do you have a conversation “around” something, unless it’s a table?
Around a topic.
That is terrible grammar. You have a conversation “about” something, not “around” it.
It’s acceptable. May not be preferred but certainly not horrible.
Ahaha. You are the biggest samsung fanboy I’ve ever seen. Defending their use of a word.
What a vile and disgusting company. Utter piece of copycat crap. Even the announcement with the “formal invitation to follow” bit is a blatant copy.
Know this, Samsung, and know it well: I will NEVER do business with you. Ever. And I will do everything in my power to ensure my friends and family don’t either. I will never buy any of your products … that means TV, appliances, whatever other markets you’re in (you’ve never even had a remote chance on tablets on phones with me). Thankfully, I haven’t bought any of your crap thus far. Rest assured and sleep tight knowing I never will.
I’m sure your threats of a boycott of Samsung products has them shaking.
The fact is, there are things you can do on a Samsung device that you cannot do on an iPhone/iPad. That is a fact. It’s not copying.
I really doubt you ever owned a Samsung product. Maybe they are too hard for you to operate (they’re not to most people).
I agree that apps won’t solve the health crisis but being aware of your own body is a good first step. I don’t know if I’d call obesity/diabetes a pandemic since they are mostly a US-Western problem. Epidemic? Sure. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of money to be made in creating and treating the problem.
It is popular for people to want to know more about their bodies. The downside is people will think they don’t have to do more than hit an app.
From the comments we can tell the fanboys are scared. Samsung has been in the health development field for a while and will get it right. I’m sure the chorus of criticism ( probably part of an ad campaign itself) against Samsung will continue.
They are a pandemic. You need to read about the subject. Samsung also doesn’t have a chance of getting it right, they simply don’t have the first clue about how to implement these things effectively.
Smoothie-
Regarding obesity and diabetes:
WHO does not consider them pandemic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention donot consider them pandemic.
Both consider them epidemic.
I’ve cited my very credible sources now please cite yours.
I am not saying the problem isn’t big, but it doesn’t meet much of the pandemic criteria.
The definition of pandemic is subject to discussion but the two sources I’ve cited are respected globally.
The media definitions are not respected.
Herb, first of look up the definition of both, especially pandemic. Secondly, the CDC is largely, or entirely referring to US statistics only, if you are going there to view the information regarding the diseases. It is a pandemic, and no, it is most definitely not localized to western society.
I can tell you’re not very sharp. It’s probably genetic, so I’ll try to be gentle.
herb02135go said: ” I really doubt you ever owned a Samsung product.”
Nah. You don’t say! Did you make that deduction from when I EXPLICITLY told you I don’t own any of their products? Or did you pull that and the rest of your drivel (none of which has a single relevance to my post) from the Samsung Handbook for Internet Trolling?
I’m always curious: how much do they pay you guys? Do just sell your soul and you’re in? Ditch the ‘ol moral compass? Yeah? Is that it? I thought so.
What we could expect from Shamesung, Shameless
Samesong.
Scamshun.
Scamscum.
Are you using Siri to make a comment?
that’s just ridiculous, isn’t it?
Did they really set that in Arial? Why is everything they do a cheap rip off of someone else even down to the font choice of their invitation?
Looks like a screenshot of the PS3 XMB.
Has crApple patented Arial?
I know it’s tried to patent shiny, corners and long lines/poor customer service.
That’s exactly Scumsung you’re talking about. Abysmal customer service is definitely an area they’re leading in.
And they took an overused image for the background of their invitation. How not original. Don’t they even have artists for that?
Looks like a screenshot of the PS3 XMB.
(replied to wrong person that last time)
And Apple used a screenshot of Google’s maps for one of its.
The rumors of Apples health devices/software/ios8 is hurting Apple massively, Samsung is just picking every rumor apart and launching/revealing products based on it before Apple gets it out the door. So sad to watch. Galaxy Gear, S-Health, GearPods, etc… Apple is appearing to copy their own inventions from Samsung, when the opposite is true.
Relax, if the iWatch is really Apple being Apple the innovation will be undeniable.
Oh the bitterness in their team, the bitterness in their lives (Samsung), planning like they do. They do know that their modus operandi is stealing others’ ideas and then mocking them, so I sympathise for those souls that like to dwell in that soup.
One thing I’ll be very happy seeing is Apple closing all the leaks that lead to us knowing about new devices 5-6 months before they’re released. Yes, that would be very bad news for all the rumour sites, even worse news for all the accessory makers these leaks come from, but that would also block Samsung’s minions from rushing to implement Apple’s ideas first.
no product gets started and produced that quickly. If Samsung is jumping on an Apple rumor about health, all they are really doing is coming out a few days earlier to steal some steam. Hopefully apple will have something physically available and be way ahead of this.
Apple health hires were leaked in January 2013. They are a big competitor of Apple’s. They know what Apple is up to.
I mean, it was obvious with all the health hires going to Apple that they are building up for a big health play.
Hope. It’s a wonderful thing.
Why not hope the latest iOS update solves a problem, or that Maps doesn’t steer you into the path of a train.
Sounds like you’re already big on blind faith, Apple boy!
Samsung called, they need your lips off their butt so they can go poopy :)
Have fun purchasing your samsung products that are copies of Apple’s products. Go get that amazing high megapixel camera!! Hahaha oh and that amazing processor which they cheat for benchmarks so the blind ignorant samsung fans will keep sucking up that gimmick marketing.
You must be rich! From all the dirty money Scumsung is giving you.
…but Samsung was, in fact, first.
Yeah, and Prada was first with the Prada phone; what’s your point? Apple health hires have been publicly known well before Samsung touched health (January 2013).
I don’t know why we are so worried about this. Let’s remember that Apple wasn’t the first to the computer market, they weren’t the first to the cell phone market, and they won’t be the first to the watch market or fitness market… What we expect from them is to do it well and redefine what is expected of those markets which they have done time and time again. So let the copy cats copy or imitate, and we will continue to see products like Gear.
I’m not worried, I can’t wait to laugh historically at their garbage.
I don’t know why autocorrect went that route, but hysterically*
You MUST be using an iPhone.
Great display of product excellence. Now THAT is historic and hysterical.
Also remember that Microsoft still tries to claim bragging rights to being the pioneers of the mass-market GUI because they “announced” Windows 1.0 ahead of the Macintosh in November 1983.
Even worse, they claim that their inspiration for Windows wasn’t the Mac at all, but VisiOn:
From Wikipedia:
“The development of Windows was spearheaded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, after seeing a demonstration at COMDEX 1982 of Visi On, a graphical user interface software suite for IBM PC compatibles.[2]
Microsoft first presented Windows to the public on November 10, 1983.[3] …”
They may announce a partnership with a leading sports brand, such as Puma or adidas..:)
Meanwhile in other news, I’ve been boycotting Scamsung since 2003.
Whoop-de-do. Why don’t you try using them, first? There is huge growth in iPhone users switching.
Nope. I don’t like the company’s lack of shame. The only thing I despise about Apple is price exploitation. Scamsung’s list of offences is too long to write down and I doubt you care for it. Apple’s ecosystem is expensive, but there are none better. None.
I’m sure they’ll be announcing a new version of Scode (yes, that’s a real thing).
When will the Scamdroids figure out that all ScanScum cares about is one-upping Apple. Which they suck at, like everything they plagiarize.
Try using a Samsung phone. Being able to truly multitask and download files/videos is great.
Not to mention the larger screen which Apple is copying …
Apple isn’t copying a larger screen, that shows how low your intelligence is. Apple could have made a large screened phone on the first iPhone, you know, that phone that Samsung blatantly copied? They choose to release a larger screen when the display won’t have enormous trade offs for doing so.
P.S. Even accepting your ignorance about copying screen size, please look at samsung phones before and after the iPhone was released. Their screen sizes were very small, then they ‘copied’ apples screen size.
Well if creating truly innovative and efficient products is not the company’s main focus you could have fooled me!
Imagine, beating Apple in the global market without even trying that hard. Pretty cool! Now if only they copied Apple’s “shiny” feature …
BTW, the new Samsung ad highlights the large screen (vs Apple smaller screen), selective focus, power-saving mode and a lot of other great features.
It does mention Apple, so please get your taking points prepared!
Oh yes those great features!! Oh wait haha. A larger screen is moot point. Some like it, some don’t. Remember, samsung copied apple’s screen size when they first started copying after the iPhone was released (before the iPhone their screens were very small). Selective focus is a complete gimmick, congrats on buying into something that can be done in numerous apps. I have no idea what ‘power saving mode is’ but I’m guessing it’s under clocking the hell out of the terribly inefficient chips and shutting down numerous software features, to save power. A lot of other gimmick features you’re ignorant enough to be tricked by.
@mikebeas is surely the worst writer on this site? In between getting facts wrong in all of his articles, he doesn’t do much to hide his petty fanboyism. The facts mike are neither Samsung or apple were first to the party in health based devices, apps or wearables. From a phone perspective, Samsung has indeed been pushing health for the last 3 generations of phones. Is this in response to apple, who are yet to enter the space? Of course not, its a general trend, not a trend apple has set. I do believe they have pushed out wearables before apple to ensure they are not beaten to the party…and their products are pretty ordinary. However we have not seen what apple will do, or whether it will be better. Apples recent track record on bringing functions that already existed in other devices have been failures (voice search, maps etc.) and remain inferior to those they tried to copy. So who’s to say their health book will be much chop? I’m excited to see if they can really get that blood analyzer stuff working well, but without that, there’s not much else a wearable, and thus a phone app, can track that hasn’t been available on other devices and wearables for years…and software just isn’t apples strong suit. If that blood stuff works they should leave everyone else in their wake…but at what cost? Planning launches to coincide with others isn’t a new marketing strategy..,,but Samsung already beat apple to the punch, its just a question whether apples device/software really does do anything new. The thought that apple just get things right dissolved in about 2010.