“Google is planning to launch a new health service called Google Fit to collect and aggregate data from popular fitness trackers and health-related apps, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the company’s plans,” Parmy Olson reports Forbes. “It will launch the service at the Google I/O conference for developers, being held on June 25 and 26.”
“Such a service would mark a direct challenge to Apple’s HealthKit framework, launched last week and rolling out with its new mobile platform iOS 8 this fall to aggregate data from wearable devices and apps,” Olson reports. “Google Fit will aggregate data through open APIs, instruction sets that allow apps to share information, and will also announce partnerships with wearable device makers at its I/O conference.”
“It’s unclear if Google Fit will be a service build into the next version of Android, or a standalone app that Android users will be able to download independently,” Olson reports. “Last week Apple explained that HealthKit would be a framework that wearables and health apps could use to send data to a separate Apple app called Health. Users would be able to store data including steps, sleep and heart rate in the Health app, along with their medical history. Third-party apps could then ask for access to Health, as they already do for apps like Contacts or Photos.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Our Lady of Perpetual beta continues to detonate fragmentation bombs in its sociopathic and quixotic quest to mimic Apple’s seamless products+ecosystem.
Related articles:
Why Apple’s Health app signals the reality of an iWatch – June 12, 2014
8 ways you’ll use Apple’s iOS 8 HealthKit every day – June 11, 2014
Apple’s new health focus comes at propitious time – June 11, 2014
U.S. FDA details high-level meeting with Apple: ‘Moral obligation to do more’ with health, innovative sensors – June 9, 2014
How Apple is leading the healthcare wearables revolution – June 8, 2014
I’ve gotta say I didn’t see that coming at all!!
No…?!! Really…?! Who would have ever guessed this. Wasn’t google the company innovating way more than Apple…!? That’s what they say, isn’t it?
Google is the new Microsoft (and I don’t mean that in a flattering or market capitalization kind of way)
Tech. companies are weird, they are always copying each other. They can’t stand being 1uped. Anyway I guess I should be happy because I, the consumer, benefit the most
What sort of benefit are you anticipating when Google knows all about your health?
None whatsoever, no benefit if Apple knows all about my health either. But I thought the point of this health services was to help in organizing our health activities.
Gaggle sells information for advertising, Apple will not.
No the point of google knowing your health info is to sell it to advertisers, not to help you live a better life – which is apple’s agenda.
It’s just another data Ming exercise for the personal data vampire that is google.
I can see it now. Record high blood pressure in Google Fit, and watch your inbox fill up with minoxidil and metoprolol ads, no to mention the latest sphygmomanometer offers!
Well, at least the article has the right name.
Should that be “HealthKit” in the headline …?
Can’t wait too see Eric Schmidt and Google’s motto:
“If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.”
being applied to health!
And of course everyone can access all of Eric’s personal information can’t they?
Thought not.
It will collect all that health data and add it to your extensive profile at Google and start recommending doctors and drugs and vitamins etc..
Yep. “New and exciting” ad targeting opportunities by disease spectrum, risk factors or to hypochondriacs who will click on everything.
“We at Google noticed that you haven’t thrusted your pelvic region in way too long. May we suggest some black-market Viagra or Cialis?”
Yep from companies that google has shares in.
One of the best MDN takes ever!
I think hannahjs wrote it.
It couldn’t have been me—the MDN take averages a mere 2.14 syllables.
That’s not an integral power of 2. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AFa1-kciCb4
So sayeth the eponymous fourth power. The plus sign confused my concordance algorithm.
I’ll take HeathKit anyday.
Googles start their photocopiers.
And they’re brand value is higher than apple’s… Just goes to show how wrong fortune magazine is.
Anything else you want to copy while you’re there??
Fortune wants better placement in search results.
Now now, don’t start throwing accusations, at least come up with a source. From what I am told about Google’s ad system is that they have an algorithm that matches ads to a user’s profile based on the relevancy of their activities within a Google account.
Google, the Gomer Pyle of tech. Apple announces, Google follows… “Surprise!, Surprise!, Surprise!”, “Shazam!” or “Well, Goooollllllly (golly)!” (take your pick).
To be fair apple has also done their equal share from borrowing from Google, look at iOS8.
And you can upload all your data to Google Health?
I mean, after Google digs it up from the graveyard it buried it in last year.
Monkey see, monkey makes a health service.
. . . we’ll figure out what it does later.
You better not have STD using Google Health BS Services if you’re trying to be private about it. lol