First Batch of HealthKit Apps Arrive for iOS 8
A little over a week after Apple delayed the launch of its much-buzzed HealthKit platform due to a bug, the first batch of HealthKit-enabled app are now available.
FitPort ($1.99) — which monitors health information and tracks steps taken, calories burned and other data— is among the first HealthKit-compatible apps listed in the Apple App Store, as first spotted by 9to5Mac.
Other HealthKit-integrated apps include WebMD, Yummly (for recipes and grocery shopping), MyFitnessPal and Carrot Fit — all of which require iOS 8.0.2 to access.
“Users of WebMD’s Healthy Target platform can connect directly with Apple’s Health app, sync biometric data (steps, weight, sleep, blood glucose, blood pressure) and receive contextually relevant content that helps them make sense of the data so that they can take steps toward their health and wellness goals,” a WebMD spokesperson told Mashable, adding the company just got the “greenlight to launch” on Friday afternoon.
The arrival is a part of the rollout of iOS 8.0.2. which fixed a series of issues found its first two versions.
One of the biggest new features of iOS 8 in general is HealthKit, marking the company’s first major step into the health and fitness space. While the company spent months calling on developers to connect their apps and its data to its hub, HealthKit-enabled apps weren’t in the Apple App Store until now. iOS 8 officially launched last Wednesday.
In fact, the Health app had been sitting empty on iOS 8 users Home screens without much information on what it was and how to use it. Now, users will be able to bring the platform to life by downloading apps that work alongside it.
The concept is similar to Apple’s Passbook app, the iPhone’s virtual pocket for things like airline boarding passes, movie tickets and coupons. It can pull in data from other third-party apps such as Nike to keep all your health-related information in one hub.
In addition to relying on developers to build apps for HealthKit, the company is reportedly working with healthcare providers at Mount Sinai Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University and electronics health records provider AllScripts, too.
It announced in June it would be partnering with major organizations like the Mayo Clinic, allowing users to log information like blood pressure within the app.
More HealthKit-integrated apps are expected to launch in the near future, the report said.
BONUS: Android Apps for Health and Fitness
10 Android Apps for Health & Fitness
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Backpacker GPS Trails
Time to get outside, O nerdy one! Backpacker GPS Trails can help you find and explore awesome trails that will improve your health, broaden your horizons, and give you something cool to do with that 8MP camera of yours.
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Nike BOOM
If music is your ideal motivator, try Nike BOOM. This app syncs your music to your workouts and throws in some audio-visual motivation from pro coaches and athletes along the way. You got this!
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Instant Heart Rate Pro
For tracking just how much fat your body is burning, we suggest an app like Instant Heart Rate. It shows your heart rate measurements, a real-time PPG graph and your heart-rate history.
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BMI Calculator
This free BMI Calculator will give you key information for setting or optimizing your fitness goals. And it should work for all but the most muscular of bodies.
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Pocket Yoga
If your day could use some deep breathing and flexibility, try Pocket Yoga, which packs 145 poses in the palm of your hand. You can choose from three different practices, difficulty levels and durations for a total of 27 sessions. Namaste!
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CrossFit Travel
If you’re anything like us, you spend some time on the road for work and/or pleasure. Time on the road, however, means time for you to forget about your workout. CrossFit Travel comes to the rescue with an impressive list of exercises that can be done in a hotel room or other small space.
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Squats
This one’s for the ladies, and the name says it all. If toning your backside is tantamount to holiness, you’ll want to check out Squats. The app will help you reach your goals of a hundred or more squats in a row, and the enviable posterior that comes with such an accomplishment.
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Calorie Counter
MyFitnessPal offers this Calorie Counter for keeping track of your nutrition — an important part of any health regime. This groovy app also comes with a barcode scanner, so you can easily find out exactly what nutrients and no-nos are hiding in pre-packaged foods.
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JEFIT Pro
Here’s a bodybuilding app for the muscle-bound. JEFIT Pro is a highly-rated app to help you track your progress, time your workouts, and beat your own records, all without the hassle of pen or paper.
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SpecTrek
Fitness should be fun, and SpecTrek is the app that proves it. This AR game gets you out and moving around in the real world, hunting “ghosts” using your camera, GPS, and your own quickly-moving feet.
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