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

[the8thark]

Of the apps I actually use Google maps is still better, Hangouts and iMessage are pretty much a draw I actually kinda like the look of hangouts more plus its multi platform. Google drive gives you 10 more gigs for free. I'll give credit to apple for iTunes ability to create smart list, song popularity meters, being able to sort by release date but then google has subscription music and is multi platform so I'm now using that now. iPhoto is also better than the mess that is Google plus but again Google plus is multi platform so I don't know seems to me the google model is better at this time.

This is your opinion about google maps. The rest is roughly correct.

Pretty sure Siri, Maps, Search are all better on Google applications & devices than Apple.

In your opinion only. Also Google search is not better than Apple search because Apple does not do search, so Apple are not even in the search category.

Sort of like apple maps? Mobile me? iCloud? Ping?

Apple Maps is good. iCloud is good.
Ping and Mobile Me are history. Two bad ideas that worked out terribly, but Apple were smart enough to eventually dump them.

 

[H2SO4]

Samsung: Whatever Apple can do, we can do first.

Google: Whatever Apple can do, we can do worse.

A shame neither copy the quality aspect Apple thrive on.

Or the price!

 

[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.

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.

You are missing one point. Apple is not first but they are the one that successfully disrupts the market and makes the product really work making it astounding popular to the masses and even a must have for people who do not care about computers iPod, iPhone, iPad and it will be the same with the iWatch and also iHealth and iHome!

 

[beosound3200]

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.

hello? are we hearing each other?

google has a search engine! what data can possibly iads gather?

in im not talking about evil, who cares... im talking about modus operandi, and googles is borderline fraudulent...

i dont want anyone keylogging my searches, i would rather buy over-priced hardware. luckily apple agrees with me. how do i know? duckduckgo

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Oh Boy!!! I cannot WAIT to give Google more personal infos…. oh goody…..:roll eyes: They're SUCH a good company and they got my back…….. yeah right! I MUST trust them when I sign-up for its services and give "real" infos, such as name and cell #………… hehehe. Google, heaven sent……….. NOT!

To the haters, so I'm (we) a "fan boy"……… U got a problem with that??

The truth is that every single person is in some kind of way a "Fan Boy" of something:

NBA, NFL, FIFA, MLS, NHL, etc... get the idea?

 

[DaveClarkOne]

so many purely asanine comments in this thread about google copying.

you do realize that Apple are copying too right? health based Apps, hardware and platforms have been available by competing platforms for years.

Apple AND google are late to the game.

but of course, only google is the copycat.

The more competition in the Market the better. More features, More products. More choice. Everyone is welcome.

There is no comparison: Google and Samsung are shameless copycats. It you can't recognize wholesale ripoffs, I can't help you.

I'm completely turned off on everything offered by Google and Samsung.

If you should ever create something original, perhaps you'll have a greater appreciation for what's right and what's wrong.

 

[beosound3200]

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

definitely, but our only glance at the future is the past but just a glance

 

[wilhoitm]

Thank you Sir, for the voice of clarity!

That is not clarity! Google stole the smart phone formula directly from Apple! Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman, was on Apple's Board of Directors, and he stole the formula for Android. He also stole Android's programming language, Java, from Oracle/Sun. Let's not rewrite history here. The funny thing is since Google can't think for themselves they are always about 3 to 4 steps behind. Just look at Android fragmentation!

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Just curious: Do you honestly think they've had enough time to create this just after WWDC? Or, realistically, both have been working on it for a long time and Apple booked Moscone first?

Couldn't be the case they have people infiltrated inside Apple gathering information for them?
Many Companies do it, Countries too; plus, the media (including MR) has been advertising it for a while already.

So, i'm not surprised at all.

 

[the8thark]

Or the price!

Of cause. If you price things high and people are happy to pay the high prices, you have zero reason to lower the prices.

 

[rweston002]

In 4/5 months,

Only one of the 3 companies [most are cheering for] will be able to roll out a software update to massive install base of users with devices mostly with BT 4.0 LE (which will allow for interfacing with a slew of other devices).

Users who will all be able to immediately benefit from what they can now do. From there, lets say 15% / 20% (random, out of my a** #) do see a benefit to what they can now do and they spread the word to the remaining 85 / 80 %.

I for one know that if the iWatch (is an actual device) and its able to monitor a fraction of the vitals that have been mentioned, I'll be getting it for my elderly parents; as will a few friends I know. I've had a parent black out (luckily they were ok and it happened in the safety of home). A friend has had a parent have a possible stroke while driving and fortunately, there wasn't too much damage, but devices such as the rumored iWatch will relieve worry for most I think. As for the hypochondriac (something that I am at times guilty off), they've always been around.

There was discussion around the possibilities, with data provided to DeepBlue or one of IBM's other super thinking computers, of the amount of information that could be extrapolated in a very short amount of time; e.g. giving the machine access to millions of cancers patients results/blood work and seeing if it's able to notice patterns, or other things that we've missed. Ok, part dreaming/hoping, but who know - need the data.

Time will tell how this plays out, but even if Samsung or Google were able to do something better, Apple will either outright copy it (not SOP), copy it and improve it (SOP), and have all iOS users be able to benefit from it very quickly.

Case in point, iOS 7 adoption at 90%...

Wait till users are able to take advantage of continuity/handoff features that even if the others could (which they can) replicate, don't have the control across all the hardware to leverage.

Again, speculation on my end. Time will tell..

 

[Amazing Iceman]

MS did it first, Samsung launched before Apple, Apple announced it (we have to see it) and Google is playing catch up.

There, hopefully it'll help you put some things in perspective.

Didn't MS idea was to create a huge health records database? That's all it was going to be: a Medical Records Repository.

Apple goes beyond that initial idea, by assisting users gather their data with their personal devices and keep track of that information, while preserving a decent level of privacy.

----------

Well if we are calling Google copy cats I seem to remember Samsungs health app came out long before apples. Not to mention apple's only exists in beta form.

Fanboyism at it's best.

Zzzzzz...

 

[JGIGS]

You are right... Apple rarely does something brand new, but rather takes something that already exists (the smartphone) and does it so much better. I'd say perfection, but there are always some flaws, but Apple comes damn close.

Apple didn't invent the computer, digital music players, smart phones, or really anything that they do now. But what they do, they typically do BETTER. However, they are still working on that whole office suite stuff

The thing is, sure these companies have made health related services and platforms, but have you tried to integrate any of that information? It's a nightmare (I have a Withings Scale). What Apple is doing is providing a platform that makes this easy for these developers to attach to, which creates an ecosystem.

The magic of Apple is in their execution. I've developed Android and iOS, and the iOS frameworks are 99% great and the language is expressive. Java and Android on the other hand requires about 4x the code and the frameworks never work as advertised. Ask anyone who has done an Android app with GPS or gyroscope and you'll see what I mean.

Apple's beta version is probably (I haven't looked into it) better than what these competitors have on the market today, if anyone has even heard of it.

Yes, the other side of Apple's magic is definitely marketing, but in most cases their marketing is buttressed with a great end-product that "just works" (I place that in quotes because there is always times where it doesn't work, but in comparison to others...)

How about actually using it before you say how great it is? While you're at it put in some actual time with the same google services before making broad statements. Fanboyism is crazy. Fanboys don't even have to use something Apple has made and say its revolutionary and life changing. Trust me there is nothing revolutionary or life changing about the apple products at the moment. They make good products and appears they are loosening the walled garden which is a step in the right direction. Hopefully one day they will go more web based and multi platform but I highly doubt it.

 

[dr4stic]

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.

Yeah, no. I'd meant to come in on that as well. One of the more famous things apple (and Microsoft for that matter) is famous for doing is copying the Xerox windowing system for MacOS and Windows respectively. You may have been ignorant of it, but the more educated here on this matter automatically went there, not to a xerox copy.

Also, if you're old enough to still say Xerox for a copy, you should know this. And that there is the problem with Apple users in general.

 

[sc4rf4c3]

There is no comparison: Google and Samsung are shameless copycats. It you can't recognize wholesale ripoffs, I can't help you.

I'm completely turned off on everything offered by Google and Samsung.

If you should ever create something original, perhaps you'll have a greater appreciation for what's right and what's wrong.

Why does he/she need your help if you are the one that can't recognize that everybody copy each other. You are too ignorant or maybe just dumb to know that your precious Apple won't survive without a company like Samsung. Go open your precious iPhone or Mac and see what's inside.

 

[dojoman]

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

Really? Just like how Google has been working on Android for years but never release it after the first iPhone? Rightttt!!!

 

[Will do good]

Right...and Apple never shares the data it collects on you with its partners right?

No where as much as Facebook and Google, their whole business model is to sell user info and data. Apple's business model is to sell you their products and gears. In this case I trust Apple lot more.

If you don't see the difference, I can't help you.

 

[The Leafs Fan]

People can make the argument that the idea for storing Medical information electronically on a consumer-level has been around for years, and Apple is only copying them. However, Apple has implemented the idea on a larger platform and has executed it better than any other previous company with a new Healthkit framework, APIs and an app, and Google just happens to announce a similar system a month later. Sounds like more than just a coincidence to me.

 

[dr4stic]

on privacy

For all you out there belly aching about privacy. Apple has generally held around 40% of the smartphone market share in the US. A market that says that 65% of Americans carry smartphones.

If all the iPhone users that were so sure that Apple protected their privacy would aim their belly aching at privacy reform in the government by threatening to, oh, you know... vote out the existing people, we might actually get actionable privacy reform in this country.

Otherwise you're just paying lip service to an unverifiable claim.

 

[wilhoitm]

No where as much as Facebook and Google, their whole business model is to sell user info and data. Apple's business model is to sell you their products and gears. In this case I trust Apple lot more.

If you don't see the difference, I can't help you.

Apple doesn't need your info, it makes tons of money, more than anyone else, off of hardware!

Apple has a totally different business model than Facebook or Google! At least Apple sells something tangible!

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Google learned the Microsoft way... The stuff we sell is ****, so let's at least make it cheap or free.

 

[f77coder]

Everyone copies everything. That's how everything works. From evolution to everything we know and do is copying. Absolutely everything is copying and building on something copied before.

BS. Some of us are inventive and creative.

 

[PocketSand11]

It's hilarious that Apple started a war over such a bogus smartphone feature. How about a war over the PC again so we can get better Macs?

 

[Bill Killer]

GPS if you want accurate running distances. Pedometers are horribly inaccurate and always have been. The nano/nike+ accelerometer is somewhat better and ok for casual use but can easily be off by 5% or more, which makes it a joke for someone training for specific times or distances. Again, if your goal is accuracy in running distances, get a decent GPS watch. Garmins are my favorite.

I know the general distance of my running route (Katy Trail in Dallas) so I don't have to really get an accurate gauge.

That said, I really don't enjoy running with my phone. I don't like valuable things in my pocket when I run.

 

[PocketSand11]

Google learned the Microsoft way... The stuff we sell is ****, so let's at least make it cheap or free.

Hardly anything Microsoft makes is cheap or free. The Microsoft way is "you have to buy it, so let's not put effort into it and make it really expensive". I think Apple would do the same without Steve Jobs.