is expected to follow Apple Samsung into the growing trend of aggregating health fitness data via mobile devices. During the company’s I/O conference at the end of ne, will announce a new service called Fit, according to Forbes.
ke Apple’s newly announced HealthKit built into iOS 8 Samsung’s S Health app upcoming SAMI platform, Fit would provide a repository of health data taken from various smartphone apps wearable devices. It’s unknown if Fit will be able to transfer health data to doctors other medical providers the way HealthKit is designed to do.
To collect the data into one spot, plans on releasing new programming application interfaces for developers to access, Forbes says.
During the rumored Fit debut, may also announce partnerships with several wearable makers. It’s also likely that ‘s wearable platform Android ar would integrate with Fit.
Forbes says it isn’t clear whether Gear Fit will be a service built into the Android OS itself or a separate app you need to download. Given how other companies are hling it, the likely answer seems that it would be both a built-in feature a downloadable app that acts like a repository of personal data.
Then again, may also build parts of the rumored Fit platform into Now. You can already get a monthly total of miles walked or biked from the just-in-time data delivery service.
The power of data
The big issue with will be how it hles personal health fitness data pulled in from fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, other devices. The rumored Fit platform would store all your health data on company servers, but that means trusting with arguably the most personal data yet shared with the company.
The public has already said no to as a storehouse of medical data thanks to the failure of Health. First introduced in 2008 shut down in 2012, Health failed for a number of reasons, including relatively poor user awareness about the service as well as privacy concerns.
Then again, a lot has changed since 2008 regarding the world’s willingness to share private data with online companies. Concerns about government surveillance aside, people are sharing more information than ever about their health, including automatically tweeting their weight with things scales logging every run with apps like Nike+ RunKeeper.
Fit would also offer to store arguably less sensitive data than its predecessor—assuming the new platform is similar to the data shared in HealthKit S Health.
th Health, the company was storing your actual medical records online, complete with diagnoses from doctors specialists as well as active prescriptions.
l health information may be important, but data about your colonoscopy or chemotherapy treatments seem far more sensitive than sharing that one-time spike in blood pressure from last week.
I/O begins on dnesday, ne 25. Check out Techhive Follow us for all the – Android-flavored action during the conference.
