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Fitbit says it has no current plans for iOS 8 Health app integration

Fitbit-Health-01

Fitbit, makers of popular fitness tracking wearables and apps, has confirmed it currently has no plans to support Apple’s new iOS 8 Health app. After a bit of a delayed launch last month, a long list of developers have rushed to integrate support for HealthKit, Apple’s new frameworks that allow developers to share and tap into data from one central location on the user’s device: the new Health app in iOS 8. Fitbit, however, has confirmed in a few responses on its customer forums that it isn’t working on integration much to the frustration of its users that have been awaiting an update:

We do not currently have plans to integrate with HealthKit… It is an interesting new platform and we will watch as it matures, looking for opportunities to improve the Fitbit experience. At the moment, we’re working on other exciting projects that we think will be valuable to users.

The company didn’t rule out the possibility of integration down the road, but also asked users for feedback on what features they’d like to see integrated with Health (Fitbit’s health related data, perhaps?) “The question we want you to keep in mind when providing feedback is: What do you imagine a HealthKit integration would entail and what do you expect to get out of it?… Your voices are being heard. We’re actively reviewing your responses and providing feedback to our product development team.”

While Apple didn’t specifically announce partners that would integrate Health when unveiling it on stage, it did show off some existing products that would be ideal for integration. Fitbit was its first choice:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByOpv-JRnAU]

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Comments

  1. I just want that fitbit fix sync problem with Myfitnesspal…

  2. willo (@mozfart) - 9 years ago

    Just put my FitBit Flex on eBay now. This is selfish powertripping at best. Will buy a different product instead and get my data in one place.

  3. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    “AppleWatch is going to put us completely out of business, so we’re not doing any free work right now just improve user experience.”

    • Haha, brilliant. True though. Astonished to read this article as a FitBit flex user. However, as soon as the AppleWatch is out..

    • Scott Blyth - 9 years ago

      AppleWatch won’t put them out of business – $350 vs $99. But this attitude certainly will. I am still waiting for the followup to the recalled Force. I kept mine, but it is starting to show its age and this type of announcement just pushes me towards a Pebble now that they have expanded support for activity tracking.

    • Actually, I would rather have a Fitbit Force than an Apple Watch for my needs. But since I can’t get either of them right now, I went with the Garmin Vivosmart (which has Healthkit integration).

    • The Apple watch will be an utter failure. I’ll bet $100 on it. Smart watches have very limited niche uses, and there’s no way that millions of people will pay for a watch that requires an iPhone to work, lasts a day before the battery dies and is susceptible to every software headache that comes with iOS updates. The Watch WILL NOT sell in significant numbers because it has absolutely no widespread use case. It’s a niche device and costing over twice as much as a Fitbit and providing limited functions that aren’t already on smartphones and it means nothing will happen to fitbit. Keep sucking on that teat.

      • I will take that bet.

      • skahler71 - 9 years ago

        Interesting….. That’s what many said about Apple getting into the cellphone market. (Me included)

      • stoplion22 - 9 years ago

        Hey I just came across this article trying to help my mother sync her Fitbit to Health.

        How’s that bet workin out?

  4. quagski - 9 years ago

    On top of Fitbit quality issues and other competitors releasing wearables showing lots of potential, this further loosens their grip on the masses. Hello Garmin…

  5. Thanks a lot FitBit! I’ll be getting rid of you once Apple Watch is released anyways, so I guess it’s no big deal!

    • ifunography - 9 years ago

      Yeah, I was actually planning to skip on the Apple Watch and stick with Fitbit anticipating Health integration. With this news my wallet’s ready for the Apple Watch.

      Fitbit better get their act together.

    • macmyke - 9 years ago

      Yup, i had no plans on getting the apple watch either, but now with this news, I have a fitbit for sale LOL

  6. I could just hear him paraphrase Steve Ballmer when he was laughing at the iPhone… “I like our strategy, I like it a lot.”

  7. Taste_of_Apple - 9 years ago

    Too bad.

  8. gnomehole - 9 years ago

    While I agree that healthkit integration is new and the value is not yet realized, I think he potential is there and I’m guessing the cost to integrate is not all that high (most are already doing some form of it or will soon). I feel like this kind of statement is either a copout or an indication that they feel threatened and are re-evaluating. The Apple Watch will probably eat a lot of fitbit’s lunch, and there are plenty other devices that integrate into Health today.

  9. Rony Canales - 9 years ago

    Ridiculous. I purchased a Fitbit last year with the promise of call/text notification. They never released an update. Now this? No longer trusting or purchasing products from them again.

    • jrgibson1 - 9 years ago

      Well, in their defence, that update WAS released however the product was recalled due to manufacturing issues.

      • the CRAR (@theCRAR) - 9 years ago

        Not true. I still use the force and on Twitter fitbit_support has acknowledged that it was never released, but when it comes it will add functionality to other devices as well. All work on the same software platform.

      • Rony Canales - 9 years ago

        They decided to conduct a voluntary recall for those who were affected by the rash. That does not mean they needed to stop software updates for those who kept it.

    • quagski - 9 years ago

      Garmin vívosmart

    • threeifbyair - 9 years ago

      And that is why I got my money back on the Force and replaced it with a Pebble.

  10. troydspring - 9 years ago

    I am a FitBit fan and didn’t turn in my Force since haven’t had any issues – it’s a great/solid device. I am surprised that they haven’t introduced a replacement product for the Force yet (maybe they are working on more a watch type product themselves?) and I am very disappointed that they won’t be integrating into the HealthKit. I was probably getting an Apple Watch anyway, but their decisions pretty much cements it for me.

  11. brimercer - 9 years ago

    FitBit’s strategy to lose customers is working quite well.

  12. garydrumm - 9 years ago

    This article should be titled “Fitbit Decides To Put Themselves Out Of Business”. Seriously, why would you not take advantage of HealthKit framework? If Nike is already going there, it just doesn’t make sense to try and build the whole thing yourself.

    • quagski - 9 years ago

      Still anxiously awaiting Nike app updates…

  13. fredhstein - 9 years ago

    Fitbit has raised $66M in four VC rounds so far. They need to work on their exit strategy.

  14. Jawbone UP24’s integration (it’s already there) is nice — and I am beginning to see the value of Apple’s log of what I have been up to in one unified place.

  15. William Christian - 9 years ago

    So basically they said “we want to be the least useful fitness tracker”. Guess the Aria scale I have goes on ebay.

    • Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 9 years ago

      Are there any Wi-Fi scales which have healthkit integration? I too have an Aria, and if it isn’t going to talk to Healthkit, it’s taking a one way trip to recycling.

      • Jesse Supaman Nichols - 9 years ago

        Withings scale will connect directly to HealthKit soon via a promised update. However, it can be connected immediately by connecting it to MyFitnessPal. Then MyFitnessPal connects to Healthkit. It’s indirect, but it works perfectly!

      • encogneato - 9 years ago

        @jesse I disagree that it works perfectly. It barely works at all for me. Not sure if it’s HK or MFP, but only one data point was imported when I connected and no new data points have been added since. Health app claims it has “No Data” despite having the one data point.

      • Antinoitikos - 9 years ago

        Withings has now updated their app with full support for HealthKit. I can confirm my scale information shows up properly in the dashboard.

  16. lrwoodley - 9 years ago

    I was actually just about to run out to the Apple Store to buy a new Fitbit since I lost mine. Never mind now! Their loss.

  17. Eddie Rodriguez - 9 years ago

    This might make more sense once they release the Force replacement. Any news on integrating with the google fit platform?

  18. grabasnookie - 9 years ago

    it’s time to part with Fitbit. Of course I never required the bracelet with iPhone 5s and now any newer iphone. However, I am now considering the iWatch 2. Thanks Fitbit for helping me lose 45 pounds this year, but if it wasn’t for the iPhone, you probably wouldnt exist today. There were many of iPhones prior to apple, but not one of those phones was worth 2 cents

  19. Mike Murray - 9 years ago

    They were already dead, they just signed the contract with this statement.

  20. Tony Forberg - 9 years ago

    What a brilliant and innovative response from Fitbit. I don’t see a bright future for them. Time to move on to a better product !

  21. Madhouse Martin - 9 years ago

    I think Withings are going the same way which is useless to me as I have the tithings pulse and body analyser but there is no talk on integrating the tithings app in health mate either. Nightmare to be honest spend all this money on Withings products which I have to add came from the Apple store in the first place and yet no mention of integrating with Apples Health Kit. Come on Withings get with the times !!!!

    • DermBids (@DermBids) - 9 years ago

      Withing is supporting HealthKit. Look at their twitter feed. They say it will be released “net week” just about every day, but at least they will support it soon enough.

    • But Withings have said they’ll have an app update supporting HealthKit integration out probably by the end of this week

      • Madhouse Martin - 9 years ago

        REALLY that is good news i don’t use Twitter so forgive me but i have been searching google and nothing have come up to say this at all so far

  22. Bernie O'Leary - 9 years ago

    Well I guess I will be dumping my Fitbit Force for a product that will be synching with HealthKit. What an arrogant attitude.

  23. Robert Quintanilla - 9 years ago

    dang it i was really considering buying one, oh well

  24. hmurchison - 9 years ago

    There’s really no reason to NOT use Healthkit. No one provider is going to track everything so Health app aggregates data from multiple sources and eases repetitive input of stuff like height/weight etc.

    Fitbit saying is essentially saying “nah, we don’t think our customers should have choice even when it doesn’t adversely affect us” is baffling. Glad I didn’t buy the Aria scale.

    Apple has the right idea. They realize that the future of healthcare is going to be around these marvelous little devices like the Scanadu Scout, Tap 20 or the DynoSense.

    Fitbit and other companies like it need to realize they are a cog in a BIG wheel. Providers of my chosen healthcare products need to look at themselves as a team and not the solution.

  25. Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 9 years ago

    The thread this quote comes from is in the feature request section on the Fitbit site, and it’s the biggest feature request thread by a gigantic margin. There is clearly a lot of demand of Healthkit integration, so for them to refuse is mind bogglingly idiotic.

    Needless to say, the next time I buy a health device, it won’t be from Fitbit.

  26. thinkman12345 - 9 years ago

    Hmmmmmmm…………………… FitBit, seems by the reaction from virtually every commenter on this site, that you hesitation (actually viewed as a refusal) to integrate with HealthKit will be your down fall. It’s my guess that you need a powerhouse such as Apple a whole lot more than they need you. Perhaps some reconsideration on your part, just might keep you in business. Personally, I know nothing about FitBit, but from what I read here, it would seem there is little to distinguish you from the plethora a similar devices, most of whom have already committed to HealthKit. Tic Tock! Better get ahead of all this negative publicity you are generating, one way or another.

  27. mobileseeks - 9 years ago

    About the only thing stupider than not integrating Fitbit with Health app, is admitting that you aren’t going to do that. I have a Fitbit and have been reasonably happy with it (wish it had a clock in it). Having said that, I am either going to get an iWatch or switch to a new fitness tracking platform. I want a platform that will be stable over time and can integrate all sorts of health data. With decisions like this, Fitbit is unlikely to be around 10 years from now, unlike Apple. #dumbmove

  28. stalkingwolfsc - 9 years ago

    This is asinine. I have supported them for years. I have gotten family and friends to support them. I have bought other products by them, scales, but no more. If they don’t do a 180, I will never buy another one. I have removed them from my social feeds and I’m highly pissed. I expressed my disgust with them on their facebook page and can’t believe they will ignore their biggest user request on their site. Their biggest request! This is bull!

  29. It seems most of you are completely missing what Fitbit does, Fitbit wants to be Healthkit, selling trackers is just their way of gathering data, not where they see their revenue coming from. They don’t want to integrate into Healthkit because then they are superfluous, anyone can make an activity tracker.

    Fitbit sees their future as making deals with your employer and insurance company, not selling cheap accelerometers so that Apple can make those deals, Healthkit cuts Fitbit out of the equation.

    • daschwemmer - 9 years ago

      I don’t think most are missing what Fitbit does, but rather do not agree with their lack of support for HealthKit. If the option is Fitbit vs a HealthKit-compatible device, I think most would choose the latter.

      • No, Fitbit the company, not Fitbit the device. Frankly Fitbit probably doesn’t care that much if you don’t buy their device if you aren’t planning on using their service, Fitbit integrating into Healthkit means their entire business plan goes up in flames which isn’t selling cheap trackers.

      • daschwemmer - 9 years ago

        I get your point about Fitbit’s strategy, but, again, given the option of using Fitbit’s service vs using a service that is integrated into a device and service (iPhone + HealthKit/Health app) that consumers already own and use, most consumers would choose the latter.

    • ifunography - 9 years ago

      Not quite sure I’m following you here.

      If that were true I’d think they would take the approach of UP, for the sake of example – use whatever device/apps you want and the UP app can read and combine that data from HealthKit and sync it with their platform. Correct me if I’m wrong.

      If Fitbit only cares about the data, they can read data from HealthKit and add data to it. Integrating would, at least in theory, open up the opportunity to gather more data in areas Fitbit devices currently don’t track (e.g. glucose levels, heart rate, etc) and do so passively without duplicated effort on the part of the user.

      This becomes a problem if they plan to sell this data to third-parties, as it would be against Apple’s guidelines for using HealthKit data. I do get how that would be a problem, but on the other hand, as you can clearly see, it’s something users want desperately and it’s a good enough reason that they will abandon their devices and the Fitbit platform due to lack of support.

      It’s a tough situation to be in but they won’t get anywhere without users. In my eyes, they’re better off integrating and adjusting their business model rather than trying to go it alone.

  30. Shawn (@cyberhomie) - 9 years ago

    I am quite irritated at this move. Pretty much asking their users to beg them in their forums, before even thinking about it.

    Up, Misfit, Garmin have already done it, and they don’t even have any plans.

    I think they should just put up a sign that says they are done improving or innovating, go buy a competing product instead.

  31. scottkatz (@scottkatz) - 9 years ago

    I bought this crap last year and both Fitbit Flex’s broke, I couldn’t care less if they support Healthkit or not. And now, if they won’t support iOS, I would write them off forever. Good riddance!

  32. ikir - 9 years ago

    What? SOLD, f*** y**

  33. avonord - 9 years ago

    Thank God I didn’t buy one. Almost bought one last week for my wife.

  34. Gunnar Lindberg Årneby - 9 years ago

    BEEP! Wrong answer Fitbit. Do integrate with HealthKit. The sooner the better. Youe market position is not, I repeat NOT secured in any way.

  35. dvdhn - 9 years ago

    Well, that just scrapped my current plans to buy into the FitBit environment. Hello UP24 and Withings!

  36. b9bot - 9 years ago

    Looks like Fitbit doesn’t want to play. So toss it away would be my next step If I had one. That’s a great way to lose your customers.

  37. ricardocardoso - 9 years ago

    Sorry for them.

  38. icerabbit - 9 years ago

    And with that Fitbit puts another nail in its coffin. Very unprofessional and slow response to the force issue when the whole thing went on for months before the first public acknowledgement. Hardly a response to requested improvements. No new products. Now no integration with iOS8.
    Bye bye Fitbit!

  39. Karcha (@KarchaInSD) - 9 years ago

    I kinda don’t mind that they won’t be integrating with healthkit. I use a fit bit flex. It’s minimal enough where I don’t mind wearing it every single day. They are probably putting more emphasis on getting their own app better, which is ok

  40. jakexb - 9 years ago

    Wow, I’ve put up with their weirdly working app because I loved their hardware. But for real? No health kit integration? If Withings comes out with an update then Im switching.

  41. leifashley - 9 years ago

    Na that’s ok… because we iPhone users have no plans to buy their piece of crap when the Apple Watch is around the corner.

    This makes me lol

  42. AirDJ31 - 9 years ago

    Welp. Funny thing is the timing of this: I’m on my 2nd Fuelband, which is falling apart, and since the weekend I’ve been looking into getting a Flex. It was like 90/10 of me getting it within the next few days. Now, I’m not even sure.

  43. terryzxz - 9 years ago

    VERY DISAPPOINTING NEWS from FitBit….I and many others are NOT HAPPY!!!

  44. “What do you imagine a HealthKit integration would entail and what do you expect to get out of it?”

    FitBit’s design team should be fired for that doozy. What the hell type of question do they think that is and just how valuable do they expect the answers to be. *shakes head*

  45. Dmitry Kirillov - 9 years ago

    Well, they have a non-retina site, really bad designed iOS app and now they don’t want to share their data for the better good. I’d say that the company is dying, which is sad, since they have been pioneers in fitness tracking as we know it today.

  46. Ryan Agnew (@agner9) - 9 years ago

    Was slightly interested for Fitbit to support Healthkit but after having a look at it i don’t know what benefits it would bring. The Fitbit app already does a better job than healthkit and is simpler.

  47. Bob M. Guthrie - 9 years ago

    Good timing on this bit of news. it took away from my health tracker search one less device to look into for purchase.

  48. Jim Clague - 9 years ago

    I was able to get my Fitbit activity (total steps, total floors climbed, total distance walked, total calories burned, sleep, and weight). You will need to install the Jawbone Up app (purple icon) and the IFTTT app. Create accounts in both apps. Log into the Up app and have the app send info to the Health app. Log into the IFTTT app and add the Fitbit and Up Channels. Add the Log Fitbit Activities to Jawbone Up, Fitbit Sleep to Jawbone Up, and Log Fitbit Weight to Jawbone Up recipes (the will be under the Fitbit Channel and the icon with have the Fitbit logo on the left and the Up icon on the right). You will get a notification on your phone from the IFTTT app when the recipe runs.

  49. Tony Doty - 9 years ago

    So Garmin Vivosmart it is. See ya fitbit!

  50. Kristian Ottosen - 9 years ago

    You can now use the free iOS app RunGap to send Fitbit daily summaries to HealthKit: http://rungap.com

  51. SyncFit (@SyncFitApp) - 9 years ago

    We have recently launched an app called SyncFit. Its a simple and straight forward app, which automatically and periodically updates the SyncFit data into Healthkit seamlessly. The standout of the app is that you can sync for any date in the past. Please check out. http://www.syncfitapp.com/

  52. check Careot Nutrition Tracker same here

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.