Google to Take on Apple in Health and Fitness Tracking with 'Google Fit'

[jkichline]

Maybe Steve Jobs was right...

Exactly

We need to stop this Samsung or google copying talk

Apple is the copyist

They all are

Maybe Steve Jobs was right... great artists steal. But that doesn't mean you don't need to be pissed when they take your ideas, and it doesn't mean you shouldn't use all means necessary to go thermonuclear. That's the process. If I don't get pissed about my product, or my competition, I'm unlikely to do anything great. That kind of passion drives the industry forward.

 

[C. Robert]

Apple could announce a digital toilet flusher and Google would follow. Apple's upgrade cycle has to be killing their R&D guy though. 2 years is a long time to be sitting in front of apple.com with no ideas.

 

[Alenore]

The problem is that this works every time because Apple customers are like goldfish, they only remember technology up to their last iOS upgrade.

I just love this metaphor.

 

[krravi]

I'm sorry the entire thread is ridiculous so I'm just going to respond to this one.

1. No, that is not the ONLY reason Google is doing this. The entire tech industry has been working towards this in some form or another (FitBit, etc.) and the bigger companies were likely waiting for whatever time works best for them to enter .. why? because there's money to be made. Google was developing Android because mobile was the future, and because there was money to be made. Not BECAUSE Apple went into mobile. Google has been working on health apps for years (in fact they had a whole website devoted to it, google health) but I guess this year is coinciding with the release of their wearables so this is the best time for them to release it. It just so happens that Google I/O is after Apple's WWDC so to you it seems like they're copying because Apple is the only company in the world that does anything of relevance? By the way, by your logic it would seem to me that Apple copied Google, I mean why else would they introduce iOS 8's extensions, they're just like Android intents system. Or how about 3rd party keyboards, backing up photos and making them available on any device, iCloud in general? You don't say Apple was doing it because Google doing it, when it comes to apple you thoughtfully say, "well it was something that the whole market had so Apple was making their own" which is true, and that's what Google is doing with this fitness thing.
2. Google "usually" copies Apple.. again wrong. Both companies learn from each other. Did Apple do notification tray first? Didn't relaunch their cloud services 3x (iTools > .Mac > MobileMe to finally iCloud) in an effort to create a service closer to what Google has been offering since the release of Android?
3. I can agree that Google's services are sometimes less elegant vs Apple's. In general Apple's are tighter and integrate better, no question about that. I still think Google does cloud better than Apple. Eitherway, yes Google does it for data. It also does it a lot cheaper than Apple. Some people are willing to give up privacy for a useful and free service (it's why Facebook is so popular).

Thank you Sir, for the voice of clarity!

 

[Amazing Iceman]

So painfully ignorant that it burns. You might want to brush up on your computer history before trying to put down someone by insuating a lack of originality by comparing them to Xerox.

Before you rushing to come to conclusions and making dumb comments, understand this: I have expected you to be smart enough to realize that I was comparing it to a Xerox Copy Machine, not to the Xerox Corporation itself.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Hah...I never said you explicitly labeled Apple as an "angel" corporation - so calm down. Nor was I saying you are a fanboy. Maybe my choice of words was poor, but my point is this: Apple is not as "innocent" as you and others in this thread believe. They do and will use your data. Given the wording of the SLA, it sure as heck is written in a manner that does let them use it for advertising if they so choose to. I don't think you can deny this.

Err... you kind of did when you wrote, and I quote "Apple isn't the "angel" corporation that you think it is (or perhaps you willfully choose to believe and wish it is)." Emphasis on you; i.e., me in this case as the post was directed to me.

Also I never denied Apple doesn't use my data, rather I differentiated Apple's use from Googles. There is a difference between the two, but don't take my word. Again read the two companies privacy policy and go over to EFF or EPIC sites to learn the difference. If you are OK w/ Google's policy, great. I'm old school and enjoy a modicum of privacy ownership still. That is all.

I'm sure you read every EULA from Apple.

No, but what is your point? Google is a data mining company with a founder that has said privacy doesn't exist and is fighting the EU on the "right to be forgotten." Apple simply doesn't have that history or business model.

Churches aren't angels either. Go to a sunday service and they preach on hate for the gays and other religions for not following the one true path.

I was being generic. But you should take that chip off your shoulder. It will make it easier to move around. There is good and bad in anything under human operation. Churches (of all worships) included.

My point lumping churches, non-profs, co-ops, together is that these are generally social groups working for an altruistic or community-minded purpose which is opposite of what a company's purpose is, even if it's socially oriented/responsible. FWIW I'm not Christian, and also, Satan is an angel.

 

[scottsjack]

I'm sorry the entire thread is ridiculous so I'm just going to respond to this one.

1. No, that is not the ONLY reason Google is doing this. The entire tech industry has been working towards this in some form or another (FitBit, etc.) and the bigger companies were likely waiting for whatever time works best for them to enter .. why? because there's money to be made. Google was developing Android because mobile was the future, and because there was money to be made. Not BECAUSE Apple went into mobile. Google has been working on health apps for years (in fact they had a whole website devoted to it, google health) but I guess this year is coinciding with the release of their wearables so this is the best time for them to release it. It just so happens that Google I/O is after Apple's WWDC so to you it seems like they're copying because Apple is the only company in the world that does anything of relevance? By the way, by your logic it would seem to me that Apple copied Google, I mean why else would they introduce iOS 8's extensions, they're just like Android intents system. Or how about 3rd party keyboards, backing up photos and making them available on any device, iCloud in general? You don't say Apple was doing it because Google doing it, when it comes to apple you thoughtfully say, "well it was something that the whole market had so Apple was making their own" which is true, and that's what Google is doing with this fitness thing.
2. Google "usually" copies Apple.. again wrong. Both companies learn from each other. Did Apple do notification tray first? Didn't relaunch their cloud services 3x (iTools > .Mac > MobileMe to finally iCloud) in an effort to create a service closer to what Google has been offering since the release of Android?
3. I can agree that Google's services are sometimes less elegant vs Apple's. In general Apple's are tighter and integrate better, no question about that. I still think Google does cloud better than Apple. Eitherway, yes Google does it for data. It also does it a lot cheaper than Apple. Some people are willing to give up privacy for a useful and free service (it's why Facebook is so popular).

Sorry but you will never make it as a MacRumors forum poster. Pointing out facts is often not accepted here. You have to slobber over everything Apple produces and see low-quality copies in any other company's products.

Please get it right next time

 

[beosound3200]

Great...get ready to start seeing display ads start changing all around your web surfing once they get ahold of your data.

Reminder: Everything Google does is designed to feed their search advertising revenue. Making quality software or quality electronics is just a byproduct of their quest to acquire data to generate more ad clicks.

this

this should be written every couple of days just for people to remember

yes, maybe apple shares our data, microsoft too, but google SELLS it, this is a HUGE difference. our data is practically their sole source of income. people need to understand that they are not using google products, they themselves are googles products. how can anyone ignore this is beyond me...

apple makes money of hardware, microsoft of software, google from YOUR data. in my opinion, this is outrageous. but yeah, some people would do anything to save some money

luckily, its getting easier to evade googles services, especally when apple is chasing the same goal, thank god...

the biggest feature of ios8 for me is the ability to set duckduckgo as a default search engine. that will finally sever al ties to google ad engine

 

[bighype]

Why would anyone with brain trust Google with their private and personal information?! You know they'll resell it and find ways to exploit you and sell you crap you don't need.

Real Google Motto: If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold.

 

[LordVic]

this

this should be written every couple of days just for people to remember

yes, maybe apple shares our data, microsoft too, but google SELLS it, this is a HUGE difference. our data is practically their sole source of income. people need to understand that they are not using google products, they themselves are googles products. how can anyone ignore this is beyond me...

apple makes money of hardware, microsoft of software, google from YOUR data. in my opinion, this is outrageous. but yeah, some people would do anything to save some money

luckily, its getting easier to evade googles services, especally when apple is chasing the same goal, thank god...

the biggest feature of ios8 for me is the ability to set duckduckgo as a default search engine. that will finally sever al ties to google ad engine

you're dleusional if you think Apple aren't selling it either.

http://advertising.apple.com/

they're just not doing the same scale. But they are absolutely doing it.

Listen, all i'm trying to say is that you should be careful with your data no matter who yo are with, Google, Microsoft, Apple. They all are monetizing off it in some way. Everyone of them.

By using online services in 2014 you are making the deal with the devil, Whether it be google or Apple.

 

[wilhoitm]

By rights Google tried to create a social heath infrastructure a few years ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Health

This was about 1 year after the iPhone debut.

The problem here is that Google was trying to create a system where people would volunteer their health records in an effort to create a network that can be used by doctor's and medical practitioners to track your health, but it also had the feature to hook into products like the Withings wireless weight scale and BP monitor data.

BTW Withings has had a health tracking app for over 5 years connected to all their products.

http://vitrine.withings.com/us/

So who is copying who? Google is dusting off an old idea while Apple is finally jumping on board to something that is 5 - 6 years behind what other companies have already been doing.

This is Apple's modus operandi pretty much from the start. Wait and see what everyone else is doing and then create their own version of it backed by huge marketing push to make people think it is new and revolutionary.

The problem is that this works every time because Apple customers are like goldfish, they only remember technology up to their last iOS upgrade.

Google is copying Apple!

Google Shut Down Google Health years ago because of problems with adoption! Now that Apple is doing health probably without an adoption problem, Google seems to be interested in it again!

http://mobihealthnews.com/11453/official-google-health-shuts-down-because-it-couldnt-scale/

----------

People need to think about posting . Google has been working on health kit stuff probably just as long as Apple has been.

Not really!!!!

Google tried and FAILED at Heath!

Read this - http://mobihealthnews.com/11453/official-google-health-shuts-down-because-it-couldnt-scale/

 

[spazzcat]

"Your current heartrate is 151. Do you need a will-writer? Click for directions."

That ins't high if you are working out...

 

[LordVic]

Google is copying Apple!

Google Shut Down Google Health years ago because of problems with adoption! Now that Apple is doing health probably without an adoption problem, Google seems to be interested in it again!

http://mobihealthnews.com/11453/official-google-health-shuts-down-because-it-couldnt-scale/

----------



Not really!!!!

Google tried and FAILED at heath!

Read this - http://mobihealthnews.com/11453/official-google-health-shuts-down-because-it-couldnt-scale/

Still the logic is silly

Google tries health. Fails.

Apple announces years later they think they're going to release health (nothing released yet)

Google announces they're going to try again to ressurrect their health products.

"GOOGLE COPYING APPLE!"


failed atttempts are still attempts.

Not to mention, as i said before, Neither google nor Apple are firsts here. Not by years.

I'm just getting sick of this "who copied Who" crap.

none of these major players are first to the health app and fitness devices world. They're all actually quite late compared to many of the other players.

What we should be focusing on is HOW we can use these fitness and health apps to make sure that people are generally healthier and better off in life than they were before.

we're talking about peoples health. we should be applauding EVERYONE who is trying to encourage the average person to be healthier, especially when the statistics are becoming more and more worrysome that on average we are becoming more and more unhealthy as a population.

 

[JGIGS]

Fascinating. I wonder where they got that idea from?

Probably Samsung or themselves years ago when they were doing work on health stuff. Not going to be able it in 2 weeks after apple show's it.

Just as well to ask where Apple got the idea they certainly weren't the first by a long shot.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I'm curious to see what the EULA says about privacy and data collection.

EULA with Google??? LOL... Their business IS Data-mining...
The rest of their services provided are just to gather that data.

As you mentioned, it would be interesting to see what their EULA says.

 

[beosound3200]

you're dleusional if you think Apple aren't selling it either.

http://advertising.apple.com/

they're just not doing the same scale. But they are absolutely doing it.

Listen, all i'm trying to say is that you should be careful with your data no matter who yo are with, Google, Microsoft, Apple. They all are monetizing off it in some way. Everyone of them.

By using online services in 2014 you are making the deal with the devil, Whether it be google or Apple.

its all about scale...

iads are primarily (possibly solely) for developers to better monetise their apps. 30% cut is debatable but you can view it as a price for maintaining infrastructure.

google practically SOLE source of income is selling your browser habits etc. do you see the difference? its not even comparable. does apple have a search engine?

maybe im wrong, but i think apple uses our data only to improve their services, not to sell them to others.

apple sells hardware, google sells user data. is there anything left to explain?

 

[JGIGS]

I believe Apple already partnered with Nike on its fitness shoe before that.

An app that measures your running distance isn't the same as a full fledge health app.

 

[wilhoitm]

Still the logic is silly

Google tries health. Fails.

Apple announces years later they think they're going to release health (nothing released yet)

Google announces they're going to try again to ressurrect their health products.

"GOOGLE COPYING APPLE!"


failed atttempts are still attempts.

Not to mention, as i said before, Neither google nor Apple are firsts here. Not by years.

Google also failed at the Connected TV! Once Apple does the Connected TV correctly with their real Apple TV ( not the little cube ) then Google will copy Apple again! I see a pattern!

 

[LordVic]

its all about scale...

iads are primarily (possibly solely) for developers to better monetise their apps. 30% cut is debatable but you can view it as a price for maintaining infrastructure.

google practically SOLE source of income is selling your browser habits etc. do you see the difference? its not even comparable. does apple have a search engine?

maybe im wrong, but i think apple uses our data only to improve their services, not to sell them to others.

apple sells hardware, google sells user data. is there anything left to explain?

you are wrong. Apple uses analytics for adds to. They just don't do it as wide scale. Yes, Googles main source of business is that.

I never denied that.

All i'm saying is that there are a lot of people who believe that google is some evil giant company cause they use analytics to sell ad space and generate their revenue by charging companies for this, when in fact, this is a standard business practice by most companies in the mobile industry, including Apple.

it is up to us, The consumer to be intelligent about this, and be smart about what data we share with anyone, including apple and google.

Also, it is a myth that "google sells user data"

that has been debunked many times. Google sells aggregrate data and analytics that can be used to better target groups of users.

No personal data is sold. The activity of selling personal data is highly illegal in many countries.

 

[cwt1nospam]

Your reply is kind of silly...Since I don't have access to your iPhone, how can I prove this?

However, feel free to read Apple's privacy policy. They clearly state the following, under the "How we use your personal information"

"We also use personal information to help us create, develop, operate, deliver, and improve our products, services, content and advertising, and for loss prevention and anti-fraud purposes."

Why are you trying to contradict what Apple is clearing telling us?

I'm not contradicting them at all. There's nothing in there that says they're using it to target iPhone users directly. Ok, so you don't have access to my phone. Who has targeted yours directly?

 

[beosound3200]

Still the logic is silly

Google tries health. Fails.

Apple announces years later they think they're going to release health (nothing released yet)

Google announces they're going to try again to ressurrect their health products.

"GOOGLE COPYING APPLE!"


failed atttempts are still attempts.

Not to mention, as i said before, Neither google nor Apple are firsts here. Not by years.

I'm just getting sick of this "who copied Who" crap.

none of these major players are first to the health app and fitness devices world. They're all actually quite late compared to many of the other players.

What we should be focusing on is HOW we can use these fitness and health apps to make sure that people are generally healthier and better off in life than they were before.

we're talking about peoples health. we should be applauding EVERYONE who is trying to encourage the average person to be healthier, especially when the statistics are becoming more and more worrysome that on average we are becoming more and more unhealthy as a population.

who cares about 'firsts'?

but the sad thing is, nobody but apple can pull this health thing right

and that IS sad

for all the competition out there, it still appears apple doesnt really have any...

 

[Amazing Iceman]

"We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas" - Steve Jobs.

FYI: http://www.cnet.com/news/what-steve...e-said-good-artists-copy-great-artists-steal/

 

[Savoy]

Oh, well

If you can't have Health, you can always just have a fit.

hmmm.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Google has enough good engineers. They do not need to copy from company XYZ.

They do have great ideas like the self-driving car, Google Glass, and other technology.

That's why it amazes me how they still love to copy...

 

[LordVic]

who cares about 'firsts'?

but the sad thing is, nobody but apple can pull this health thing right

and that IS sad

for all the competition out there, it still appears apple doesnt really have any...

I can't claim that or not.

everyone will get their products out. And after I get my hands on all of them, and judge them, then I'll make that claim that apple "Does it right" instead of anyone else.

Apple has a good track record which lets me believe they'll do a good job. But just cause the Apple logo is attached does not automatically in my mind tell me that it's better than anyone elses.

To me, The proof is in the pudding. I will judge whose implementation I like best once they're released and I test them.

Just like I did with the iPod, iPhone, and many other competition before it