HealthKit Includes Native Bluetooth Support for Some Accessories, Eliminating Need for Companion Apps

HealthKit supports some medical Bluetooth accessories natively, allowing accessory makers to skip developing apps for iOS and focus on their hardware, according to 9to5Mac.

ios8healthapp

The accessories that will be built-in and supported natively by HealthKit include heart rate and blood pressure monitors, glucose sensors, and health thermometers. Apple is using official standard specs for Bluetooth LE devices from http://Bluetooth.org, which is what allows iOS 8 to automatically establish a connection with the devices listed above without the manufacturers worrying about anything on the software side.

HealthKit can automatically detect these Bluetooth medical devices and gather data from them, syncing them to the new Health app without the user having to do anything in a third-party app, making it easy for users to find health information in a single place. Additionally, device makers won't have to spend resources and time making an app rather than focus on their hardware.

HealthKit and the Health app are available to developers in the iOS 8 now. All three will launch in the fall for the general public.

Top Rated Comments

ThisIsNotMe Avatar
129 months ago
Not me mate. Is the law. Read the news:

http://www.news.com.au/finance/small-business/apple-swallows-aussie-startup-companys-name-healthkit-and-their-worldembracing-idea/story-fn9evb64-1226943793182

http://www.cnet.com/au/news/apple-draws-ire-from-aussie-startup-over-healthkit/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2649096/Rotten-core-Apple-accused-stealing-idea-new-HealthKit-tool.html

And if this is not enough, read Wired:

http://www.wired.com/2014/06/apple-healthkit-taken/

So again, is not me "thinking they are in trouble" ... is Apple who have created the problem themselves.
Please point me to the trademark filing.
Oh, you can't? Well then.
Please elaborate as to how Apple should is suppose to know everything on the planet when this company didn't file anything with the government????

USPTO TESS Trademark search for 'HealthKit' shows 0 results
IPAustraila ATMOSS Trademark search for 'HealthKit' shows 0 results

Lesson learned. File a trademark like a normal company if you want to protect your......trademark......
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DTphonehome Avatar
129 months ago
So just answer me this: Is it legally correct to use the idea, the concept, the name of somebody else just because you want it?
Do you think that a multi billion company don't have money to have staff dedicated to find out over the internet with a simple "search" if something like this is already in existence?
Rest my case...

HealthKit is the name of the API. It's not the name of a product. The app is called "Health". Just because there's an entity out there with the name doesn't mean Apple can't use it for an API within their OS. It isn't even trademarked (as another poster pointed out). So this is really much ado about nothing and looks like an attempt by the company HealthKit to drum up some publicity and perhaps some cash from Apple.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iLoveiTunes Avatar
129 months ago
I can't believe you guys don't know that Apple is in BIG trouble because the logo...

https://www.healthkit.com

I believe that by end of next week this girl will be millionaire because apple will not have any other option that buy her up.
What do you think?
Cheers
Join date ..June 2014. good way to upp the hits on that URL
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CrazyForApple Avatar
129 months ago
That's kind of the point, isn't it?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
129 months ago
Good. I'm starting to live with app overload... if you need apps for health, passbook, home kit, etc it can really start to add up.... Oh yeah and with extensions it's cool to be able to use the multiple app UI's in say the photos app (for example), but it'd be nice not to need to have all the apps on your phone taking up space

I'm still not sure if you need apps for widgets and keyboards...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
paradox00 Avatar
129 months ago
Not me mate. Is the law. Read the news:

http://www.news.com.au/finance/small-business/apple-swallows-aussie-startup-companys-name-healthkit-and-their-worldembracing-idea/story-fn9evb64-1226943793182

http://www.cnet.com/au/news/apple-draws-ire-from-aussie-startup-over-healthkit/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2649096/Rotten-core-Apple-accused-stealing-idea-new-HealthKit-tool.html

And if this is not enough, read Wired:

http://www.wired.com/2014/06/apple-healthkit-taken/

So again, is not me "thinking they are in trouble" ... is Apple who have created the problem themselves.

Different markets. Apple's HealthKit is just a set of APIs for their app called Health (not HealthKit). Healthkit.com makes software for booking doctor appointments. One's public facing and the other isn't, and they serve completely different purposes. You wouldn't mix them up. As long as that's the case, it's not actually trademark infringement. Healthkit.com is getting a ton of free publicity though.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Delta Feature

Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone

Wednesday April 17, 2024 9:58 am PDT by
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of...
iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate

All iPhone 16 Models to Feature Action Button, But Usefulness Debated

Tuesday April 16, 2024 6:54 am PDT by
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch ...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With the New App Store Delta Game Emulator

Wednesday April 17, 2024 12:19 pm PDT by
A decade ago, developer Riley Testut released the GBA4iOS emulator for iOS, and since it was against the rules at the time, Apple put a stop to downloads. Emulators have been a violation of the App Store rules for years, but that changed on April 5 when Apple suddenly reversed course and said that it was allowing retro game emulators on the App Store. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Friday April 12, 2024 11:11 am PDT by
iOS 18 is expected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more...