Tag Archives: Health Connect

Android Health Gets a Boost: New Features & Improved User Control with Health Connect

Google I/O concluded recently unveiling a wave of exciting updates designed to revolutionize how users manage their health and wellness through their Android devices. With a focus on user control, data privacy, and seamless integration, Google is aiming to empower individuals to take charge of their health journeys.

A key highlight is the significant enhancements coming to Google’s Health Connect platform. Serving as a central repository for health data from wearables, fitness trackers, and medical apps, Health Connect is poised to become a cornerstone of the Android Health ecosystem. This year’s announcements include improved accessibility with offline storage capabilities, allowing users to store vital health data even without an internet connection. Additionally, Google emphasizes a commitment to user control, with features enabling users to easily manage which data is shared with specific apps and revoke access as needed.

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Screencap from Google I/O 2024 presentation on Health Connect

The updates extend beyond user-facing features. Google unveiled new tools and resources for developers, allowing them to integrate with Health Connect more seamlessly. This not only simplifies the development process for health-focused apps but also unlocks the potential for a more robust and interconnected health ecosystem. Developers can leverage Health Connect’s standardized data schema to streamline data collection and analysis, ultimately leading to a more comprehensive picture of a user’s health.

Throughout the conference, a strong emphasis was placed on ensuring users have complete control over their health data. Features like granular permission controls and data deletion capabilities empower users to decide what information is shared with third-party apps and health services. This commitment to user privacy aims to build trust and encourage wider adoption of the Android Health platform.

Screenshot 2024 05 17 at 22 24 02 Introducing new APIs for health and fitness in Health Connect by Android
Screencap from Google I/O 2024 presentation on Health Connect

Looking beyond the immediate updates, Google hinted at future possibilities for Android Health. The company is exploring features that leverage advanced analytics to provide users with personalized health insights based on their collected data. Imagine receiving actionable recommendations on sleep patterns, stress management, or even preventative healthcare measures – all delivered via your Android device.

The announcements at I/O 2024 paint a promising picture for the future of Android Health. With a focus on user control, data privacy, and developer integration, Google is building a platform that empowers individuals to take a more active role in managing their health and wellness. As these updates roll out throughout the year, Android users can expect a more personalized and insightful health experience on their mobile devices. This focus on user-centric innovation positions Android Health to become a valuable tool for both individuals and healthcare providers in the years to come.

Google Fit APIs Deemed Unfit Starting in 2025; Will It’s Retirement Break Your Devices?

It looks like Google Fit is unfit for usage… or at least that’s what happening with Google retiring the APIs. The Google Fit APIs were introduced to the Android ecosystem back in 2017 as the platform’s answer to Apple’s HealthKit. However, it seems like Google isn’t going to develop or support the Google Fit APIs anymore.

Google Fit Tombstone

In a blog post on the Android Developers Blog, Google indicates that it will not be accepting new sign ups for the Google Fit APIs any longer. The move apparently comes as Google begins to transition to Android Health. Currently, Android Health points to Health Connect, another of Google’s health APIs that was introduced in Android 13 and natively integrated in Android 14. The platform seems to remove any form of off device storage of the collected data but instead opts for an on-device model. Google is giving developers until June 30, 2025 to migrate to Android Health.

The move comes after Google’s purchase of fitness tracking company, Fitbit, in 2021. Just recently, Google has begun shutting down and consolidating a number of Google and Fitbit’s apps and APIs. Fitbit users will have realised that Google has been pushing them to migrate over to a Google account. In fact, some features like sleep tracking have been limited until the migration is done. More recently, Google announced to Fitibit users that Fitbit Pay will be replaced by Google Wallet. More jarringly, Google’s own Pixel Watch lacked the Google Fit app and favoured the Fitbit app instead.

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The retirement of Google Fit’s APIs in favour of Android Health/Health Connect may also be a result of the Fitbit purchase as it was stipulated that Google could not access any data collected by Fitbit as a part of the purchase. However, little information has been shared about how Google is using the data since the acquistion was completed.

The larger question remains how will apps and devices that leverage the Google Fit APIs fair after the migration. Keep in mind that a number of Wear OS devices use these APIs for fitness tracking and use the Google Fit App as their main interface. With companies like FOSSIL pulling out of the Wearables market with no comitment to maintain the software on the current devices, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see issues pop up with the fitness tracking on these devices.

What’s more, other Wear OS devices will also need to be updated to migrate to Health Connect. With newer devices like the OPPO Watch X, companies have already created their own apps like OHealth for OPPO and Samsung Wear for Samsung. It’s unclear if these apps will need to migrate over to Android Health or if they are already using the new APIs. However, Google has also highlighted that apps like Lifesum (previously NOOM), Peloton and Oura have already migrated to Android Health. This would mean that apps like Strava and Nike run will also need to be upgraded to support Android Health or lose functionality.