iHealth, maker of various iPhone connected healthcare accessories, today announced that its iOS apps are being updated with HealthKit integration. That means that the users of the company’s Wireless Blood Pressure Monitors, Blood Glucose Meters, Wireless Scale, and other health tracking accessories will be able to sync data with the new iOS 8 Health app.
As for what exactly you’ll be able to track in the Health app, the company says it will offer 15 key vitals data through the various iHealth accessories, including: blood glucose, blood pressure, heart rate, steps, distance, active calories, sleep analysis, weight, BMI, body fat, lean body mass and oxygen saturation.
iPhone and iPod touch users running iOS 8 now have access to the broadest set of health data through iHealth devices. All user information within the Health app is permissioned and stored securely on their iPhone or iPod Touch, ensuring that users maintain control over what information is shared and with whom.
In total, the company has nine healthcare related accessories capable of pumping data into the Health app via its own My Vitals, My Vitals 2.0, and SpO2 apps being updated today. It also has plans to update its Gluco-Smart app later this week.
We originally expected to see a long list of app developers and accessory makers support Apple’s new Health app when iOS launched, but Apple quickly announced a bug would delay the launch several weeks. Apple fixed the problem in iOS 8.0.2 and we’ve since seen a long list of apps updated with support.
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Ok, so you can use your phone to store information.
Isn’t this what smartphones have been doing?
My Galaxy S5 already monitors, tracks and stores info about distances walked/run, food intake, heart rate, sleep, and other health-related issues.
What’s new here, besides the name?
It’s so nice to see a troll write first, shows there incompetence, iHealth make the hardware, they have always been able to store in a smart phone, what the updated app does is sort all the info from this and other manufacturers in one place, which we all know Android can’t do… Yes you can collect data, but can you collect ALL the data from ALL the manufacturers of hardware in one App… Ermmm NO… So in answer to what is new, a centralised place to look very simply…!!! It must suck to be suck a moron, are you called herb because you are so stoned you don’t know what you are talking about…??? Just curious… Now run back to the samsung forums and tell them that you have been trolling again…!!!
Great response.
I can tell that you don’t have a clue as to what it does. All you have is hate.
Does Apple store that information yet?
Kevin, it’s time to put down that great big bag of insecurities you’re clinging to.
Herb asked a simple question, that I, an Apple user, was wondering about myself. There’s nothing wrong with saying you don’t know, in most circumstances, it makes you look smarter. Your rant, sadly, does not.
herb02135go he’s right this was a report about iPhone… go play with your Galaxy. My kids have and had Samsung – they are crap products. My son gave up and now has an iPhone not issues after 6 month – daughter S5 and two months had to return it (BTW same thing for S3 and S4) so thump your chest , but you have a “cheap” product.
@GeniusUnleased – actually herb was poking he was “trying” to point out his phone had that technology already. It was a stupid comment. Who cares, really no one cares, all of the “we had that when” is actually quite funny and laugh AT everyone that’s trying to prove “hey pay attention to us! we had this a along what is the big deal…” must be bringing back memories of the playground in elementary school
It’s just a phone dude. Get a grip.
Get a grip? How about lose the insecurity. It’s a simple question. If your only response is to lash out because you don’t know, then walk on by.
Despite the angry language, Kevin Hancox is correct. My iPhone 3G (2008) model could track my steps and calories just like your Galaxy. However, there is a huge difference between being able to log a specific data point from a specific app and being able to create a safe, centralized data repository from a bevy of apps and accessories. One (of several) new opportunities is that iHealth keeps the information in a format that interfaces with all of the major EMR vendors, and allows doctors the ability to track vital patient data (with permission only of course). It also makes the data app-agnostic in case a user decides to start tracking calories/weight/distance/blood sugar/etc. with a new 3rd party app.
Think of how valuable the MFI program has been for Apple over the years. Every stereo sold in the 2000’s had to have an iPod dock as the device became the global standard. Health has the potential to do the same for medical devices, both consumer and commercial.
Page and Brin have specifically said they have no interest in the medical side of the smartphone business. They don’t want the liability associated with tracking this vital info. Apple executives spent years working with appropriate government agencies in key jurisdictions to get a blessing before announcing Health.
If you got angry language out of that, you need to reexamine things. I’m using all the new apps with Health and can’t figure out what the big deal is yet. I plug info into one app and the stats show up in Health, the stats I just plugged in…Why do I need to open another app to see those stats? What’s the point? Granted this is version 1, so Im’ not losing any sleep over it, just scratching my head why they released it this way. Seems like Passbook to me.
I’m saying that Kevin Hancox’s post was unnecessarily vitriolic; that’s the angry language to which I was referring.
A couple thoughts:
-It’s not about your ability to enter in one app and open in another. It’s about the ability of Health to aggregate from multiple apps and serve the data on a platter to the user and his/her medical provider.
-Health creates a truly portable EMR/EHR tied directly to the patient. You don’t have to know much about the ACA, medical administrators, or insurance companies to know that EMR is currently very parochial.
-This article is referencing hardware compatibility with Health, not another app. You have to think of Health as a platform service from Apple to appreciate the scope of what it will be in the next 12-24 months. Imagine the wonderful convenience of a subcutaneous glucose monitor that can log lifesaving information in real time, and share it directly with physicians and emergency responders for a diabetic child. Or a defribillator that can call 911 in the case of a severe arrhythmia. Let your mind relax to see the realm of possibilities. These devices exist today in a vacuum, and networking them to a phone with a secure connection will dramatically amplify their utility.
-This is BRAND NEW. It seems unnecessary today, but Apple has brought in an amazing number of important partners. Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Epic Systems, etc. are not going to get on board unless they see huge potential to justify the time and energy required to participate with HealthKit. It costs users nothing, so no big deal if you don’t care to use it. But as usage snowballs, opportunities will become obvious.
Centralized spot for health info so that other apps can use it too. Like if the Mayo Clinic opens the API of their EMR software it will update your phones Health app every visit with stats like weight and BP. Those stats can be shared with other apps via Health instead of the Mayo Clinics app so that they can add it to their crazy algorithms. Also if I put my weight into 4 or 5 apps, I have a scale that adds to the data, then on top of that I use Up and log work outs in a different app they can all send the data to ONE chart. Once the watch comes out we add even more data to add to more algorithms to make smarter health apps. So what major health organization uses your Galaxy? Also besides just being better than Apple, what good does the Galaxy actually do for people. Apple focuses a little more on things that matter and not just being a swiss army knife of phones.
Finally! Someone with the brains to explain things clearly instead of ranting that Herb was a troll. Well, you kind of did that too, losing some status along the way. But thanks anyway, clears things up way better than Apple did.
Thank you, BF, and others who showed that Apple hasn’t done a great job is explaining what its product will do that the competition isn’t.
However, based on the os features Apple has promoted (which are already available elsewhere) I do wonder how much of the Ihealth will truly be new, versus “new to Apple.”
PS I should add that I hope they will be truly new. We need innovation not obfuscation.
Consumer-oriented health technology has a long way to go.
Again Mike and herb are trying “already had that 2012” stupidity. But you can stick with your phones like my daughter of course she has already had to take her S5 back (2 months after purchase) just like the S4 and just like the s5. And BTW iPhones could do these things with apps etc. you both are clueless and trolling. This is a comment on Apple, not you trying to prove you had this already with another product. But please keep going because we are laughing at you…for trying.
Let keep on topic.
so to clarify, since haven’t really seen any answers regarding the original question:
Healthkit is an API designed to bring together the litany of health related devices on the market and soon-to-be on the market. In essence, Apple recognized that people are and will be using their phones to aggregate tons of health related data. To facilitate this adoption Apple created an App called Heath that can aggregate data from dozens and soon-to-be hundreds of devices into one easy to manage App. The API (HealthKit) can be integrated into these devices and corresponding apps so people can take the data generated, display it in a way that’s meaningful to that person, and choose the apps and devices they want to use, so customizing the experience so to speak. While all bluetooth enabled smartphones have the ability to tether to smart health devices like pedometers, heart monitors and such, no platform is available atm that compares to the potential of Heath and the corresponding HealthKit. One reason for this is Apple has been working with vendors behind the scenes, many of which are legit medical companies. So on the surface, yes this looks like something we all have access to regardless of platform on your phone, but deep down this is an extensive application. Devices like iHealth are some of the first to market and show how an external and convenient device can tether to your iPhone and aggregate important information. This is the first device I have ever seen that stores your blood glucose information in your phone, which is cool considering my girlfriend is type 1 diabetic and checks her Blood all day long. I can imagine the next iterations of this coming in jewelry form and will make everyday tasks like checking blood sugar, among many other things, effortless.
Let us hope the VA adopts the app