Google to launch Apple HealthKit competitor for Android at I/O conference - report

Posted:
in iPhone edited June 2014
Apple's new HealthKit health and fitness tracking platform looks set to gain a fresh challenger in the form of Android developer Google, which will reportedly launch a similar service dubbed Google Fit at its annual developer conference in San Francisco later this month.

Google's previous health tracking effort, which was shuttered in 2012.
Google's previous health effort, which was shuttered in 2012.


Google will attempt to upstage Apple's HealthKit reveal by announcing immediate partnerships with companies that make wearable devices, according to Forbes. Those agreements are likely to be similar to the ones struck with LG and Fossil for Google's Android Wear wearable software stack.

If true, Google would be the third major technology company to push into the field. Samsung pre-announced its own Sami platform, complete with a $50 million innovation fund and hardware reference designs, in late May.

Little else is known about Google's plans, though information revealed by Forbes points to a system very much like those shown off by Apple and Samsung, including a centralized repository for data tracking. In any case, it would not be Google's first foray into the medical field.

The company launched Google Health, a short-lived collation service for personal medical records, in 2008 and shuttered it in 2012. Google has also been seen dabbling in glucose-monitoring contact lenses and recently announced the formation of Calico, a medical research company focusing on age-related issues and headed by Apple chairman Art Levinson.
«1345

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 93
    j2fusionj2fusion Posts: 153member

    Of course....

  • Reply 2 of 93
    bilbo63bilbo63 Posts: 285member

    I want nothing to do with this. In the eyes of Google, we are not their customer, we are their product.

     

    Apple's priority is not mining our personal data, their data-driven services are designed to support the devices and services that they sell. Apple's revenue model is derived from selling actual stuff, not mining my data for ulterior uses.

  • Reply 3 of 93
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Good luck with that one, Google... Hahahaha!
  • Reply 4 of 93
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member

    *Sigh* Is this the marketing bullet-point for this year from companies that people will briefly play with and then ignore?

  • Reply 5 of 93
    macinthe408macinthe408 Posts: 1,050member
    Just what I need: Ads for Jenny Craig after Google sniffs out my BMI in my "private" health files. HIPAA be damned!
  • Reply 6 of 93

    Yeah.  Rights.

     

    I typed in High Blood Pressure into Google under Chrome

    (just think it if had all your diagnoses, conditions)

    Sponsored Ads


    1. Lower Blood Pressure Fast?

      www.medicalpublications.org/?

      Natural -No Drugs -No Side Effects

      Nobel Prize Discovery - Guaranteed


    2. Lower Your Blood Pressure?

      resperate.com/Lower_Blood_Pressure?

      (646) 652-5807

      RESPeRATE™ - Recommended By Doctors

      For Over 20 Years. Learn More!


    3. High Blood Pressure Diet?

      www.beyonddiet.com/?

       

      5 Foods you should never eat

      to avoid high blood pressure


    4. I had High Blood Pressure?

      www.bloodpressuretreatmentsite.com/?

      4.8  advertiser rating

      Now its 118/77 in Just 30 Days!

      Try it for yourself. Risk Free.


    5. High Bloodpressure Causes?

      ask.com/High+Bloodpressure+Causes?

      Over 100 Million Visitors.

      Discover and Explore on Ask.com!


    6. What is PAH??

      www.treatment-of-pah.com/?

       

      Get information about treatment for

      pulmonary arterial hypertension.


    7. Normalize Blood Pressure?

      www.nulivlifestyle.com/?

       

      Stubborn High Blood Pressure?

      Natural, Safe, Effective Supplement


    8. "Herbal #1 BP Supplement"?

      www.amazon.com/HerbalBloodPressure?

       

      Herbal Blood Pressure Supplement,

      $35.95, USA Made, Limited Stock!


     



  • Reply 7 of 93
    512ke512ke Posts: 782member

    When I think of the term "Google" somehow I think of fatness not fitness.  Don't know why.

     

    Also, dudes... Wii fit.  They're stealing from 2 sources at once.

     

    Needs a better more accurate name.  Suggestions:

     

    Google Bodysnoop

     

    Google Health Snitch ©

     

    Google Health Data Mining (GHDM)

     

    Google Involuntary Body Monitoring (GIBM)

     

    Google Body Cookies ©

     

    Google Health ALWAYS ON

     

    Google Your Health is Now Our Business

     

    Google Body Invasion

     

    Google Health Stalker

     

    Google Fat Monitoring

     

    Big Google Brother

     

    Google I Know What Your Heart Did Last Summer

     

    Google Spleen Data Ownership Consortium

     

    Etc

  • Reply 8 of 93
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member

    Fitbit might have a fit with that name.

  • Reply 9 of 93
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Yeah.  Rights.

    I typed in High Blood Pressure into Google under Chrome
    https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=high+blood+pressure
    Ads are clearly marked and separated from search results.

    In Bing I get this. Ads are not clearly marked IMO and search results are less than helpful if doing research.
    https://www.bing.com/search?q=high+blood+pressure&qs=AS&pq=high+blood+pressure&sc=8-19&sp=1&FORM=QBLH&cvid=fd9e187c54564318a6e7352bb0b9ae23

    DuckDuckGo shows this. Minimal number of ads but similar to main search results on Google. Clean and nicely done IMO, but lacking the quick info box that Google offers with basic facts. In a search on a topic like this the quick facts box is helpful.
    https://duckduckgo.com/?q=high+blood+pressure
  • Reply 10 of 93
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by 512ke View Post

     

    Needs a better more accurate name.  Suggestions:


    Google Sucks

  • Reply 11 of 93
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macinthe408 View Post



    Just what I need: Ads for Jenny Craig after Google sniffs out my BMI in my "private" health files. HIPAA be damned!



    If it were just Ads for Jenny Craig, you'd be so lucky. Instead, your insurance rates/quotes will go through the roof as Google sells your personal health data.

  • Reply 12 of 93

    I will only be trusting one source for my health. My doctor. Not Apple, Not Google, Not Microsoft, Not wikipedia, Not WebMD, not some fancy 'wearable'. A trained living/breathing medical professional. 

    El fin.

  • Reply 13 of 93
    bighypebighype Posts: 148member

    Giving your health data to Google…what could go wrong?!?! LOL!

  • Reply 14 of 93
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    pmz wrote: »

    If it were just Ads for Jenny Craig, you'd be so lucky. Instead, your insurance rates/quotes will go through the roof as Google sells your personal health data.

    Google doesn't sell personal data. I've no idea why you think they do.
  • Reply 15 of 93
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Google doesn't sell personal data. I've no idea why you think they do.

    He meant to say 'steals'.

    Forgive his slip.
  • Reply 16 of 93
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    gtr wrote: »
    He meant to say 'steals'.

    Such as. . .?

    Rhetorical
  • Reply 17 of 93
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 512ke View Post

     

    Google Spleen Data Ownership Consortium


    <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" /> 

     

    How about?

     

    Google Bowel Analytics

     

    http://www.google.com/tisp/

  • Reply 18 of 93
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Because of the rampant malware on Android violating your content and Google's desire to copy Apple's HealthKit they are rumored to release a product called RapeKit¡
  • Reply 19 of 93
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Such as. . .?

    Rhetorical

    Is it true you took the username 'Gatorguy' because 'Crocofshit' was already taken?

    ;)
  • Reply 20 of 93
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    gtr wrote: »
    Is it true you took the username 'Gatorguy' because 'Crocofshit' was already taken?

    ;)

    Now that's the GTR I expect. :D
Sign In or Register to comment.