'Sync Solver' Allows Fitbit Users to View Fitness Related Data in Apple's Health App

[MacRumors]

Launched on the App Store this week, Sync Solver allows Fitbit wearers to track all of the important information the wearable device calculates on a daily basis directly inside Apple's own Health app without needing to use the dedicated Fitbit app.

The $0.99 app provides a daily sync of eleven different pieces of data from the Fitbit into the Health app. The points of data accrued include: active calories, resting calories, dietary calories, body fat percentage, body mass index, flights of stairs climbed, sleep analysis, walking and running distances, weight, and steps taken.

To get the app working the first sync needs to be done manually inside of the app, but after that it will automatically sync data from the Fitbit device into the Health app every twenty-four hours. The app's release notes also mention that because there is no way to disable step counting by the iPhone itself, the "steps taken" figure is likely to be doubled as both the iPhone and Fitbit track the statistic.

The release of Sync Solver comes after rumors that Apple would cease offering Fitbit in its retail stores, and the company subsequently doing just that. Apple has not shared the reason for its discontinuation of Fitbit's products, but a combination of Apple's impending launch of Apple Watch and Fitbit's announcement that it has no plans to support HealthKit likely contributed to the move.

Sync Solver can be downloaded from the App Store for $0.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: 'Sync Solver' Allows Fitbit Users to View Fitness Related Data in Apple's Health App

 

[zorinlynx]

Anyone know why Fitbit doesn't do this natively? It's such an obvious application for the Health API.

 

[budselectjr]

Anyone know why Fitbit doesn't do this natively? It's such an obvious application for the Health API.

They want you to sign up for their $50 a year "Fitbit Premium" service to be able to export the data.

 

[tasset]

Now if this sync app is blocked or the api is broken, it will be a telltale sign how hostile Fitbit is to users retaining the data they rightfully own.

 

[coolfactor]

Anyone know why Fitbit doesn't do this natively? It's such an obvious application for the Health API.

Agreed.

And I'm also curious - if a user has two tracking devices and both sync their data into the same repository, does that double the numbers? If I burned 100 calories, will the Health app show me 200 calories because two different devices provided '100' each? I wonder if it's smart enough to figure this out?

 

[3bs]

Agreed.

And I'm also curious - if a user has two tracking devices and both sync their data into the same repository, does that double the numbers? If I burned 100 calories, will the Health app show me 200 calories because two different devices provided '100' each? I wonder if it's smart enough to figure this out?

The article says your steps will be doubled because the iPhone and the tracker both measure and you can't change that but I don't know about 2 trackers. Why are you using 2 trackers anyway?

 

[kappaknight]

The article says your steps will be doubled because the iPhone and the tracker both measure and you can't change that but I don't know about 2 trackers. Why are you using 2 trackers anyway?

It's not that you're using two trackers - the iPhone itself (5S and up) does count your steps while you have it in your pocket and acts like a tracker. If that is a concern, then this is just pointing it out. My iPhone sits on my desk most of my day though, so it's really not that big of a deal for me.

 

[zorinlynx]

They want you to sign up for their $50 a year "Fitbit Premium" service to be able to export the data.

But...that just makes me buy one of the other gazillion products that don't try to charge you money to use stuff you already bought.

It seems they are shooting themselves in the foot here. This space has WAY too much competition for them to act this way.

 

[NightFox]

Agreed.

And I'm also curious - if a user has two tracking devices and both sync their data into the same repository, does that double the numbers? If I burned 100 calories, will the Health app show me 200 calories because two different devices provided '100' each? I wonder if it's smart enough to figure this out?

You set the priority you want Health to give to different sources for conflicting/duplicate information. E.g. If you have a fitness tracker, you can use either that or your iPhone to track your steps. If you use both at the same time, Health will only use one source, depending on which you've given the higher priority to

 

[odditie]

You set the priority you want Health to give to different sources for conflicting/duplicate information. E.g. If you have a fitness tracker, you can use either that or your iPhone to track your steps. If you use both at the same time, Health will only use one source, depending on which you've given the higher priority to

Yes, but it appears this app still doesn't solve the issue that the data needs to be the small incremental data and not a full day dump of data. We need the data fitbit has that shows how many steps we take in short little chunks. If we can get that you can have fitbit as a priority over health and it will know that if fitbit has that data it will over rule the iPhone's own data. But if it does a full dump of a day's data it has no idea when the steps happened so it gives you both the iPhone and the fitbit steps.

Fitbit is the only one that's going to be able to solve this issue. If they don't I won't own their products ever again.

 

[Peel]

They want you to sign up for their $50 a year "Fitbit Premium" service to be able to export the data.

But even FitBit Premium doesn't sync to Apple Health. The only data export it provides is to an excel file or csv.

 

[jaydennz]

Yes, but it appears this app still doesn't solve the issue that the data needs to be the small incremental data and not a full day dump of data. We need the data fitbit has that shows how many steps we take in short little chunks. If we can get that you can have fitbit as a priority over health and it will know that if fitbit has that data it will over rule the iPhone's own data. But if it does a full dump of a day's data it has no idea when the steps happened so it gives you both the iPhone and the fitbit steps.

Fitbit is the only one that's going to be able to solve this issue. If they don't I won't own their products ever again.

I use an app called wristband manager, it does exactly what you're asking. Don't know why that didn't get as much publicity tho

 

[odditie]

I use an app called wristband manager, it does exactly what you're asking. Don't know why that didn't get as much publicity tho

Thanks for mentioning it. I'll have to check it out. Do you use it with a fitbit? Does it actually manage the data and not duplicate it then?

 

[jaydennz]

Yup I do and yup it does. I'm pretty sure it just uses the fitbit API to show the data in the app which it then uploads to health

 

[ikir]

Most requested feature by far on Fitbit forums!

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/ideas/v2/ideapage/blog-id/features/article-id/3353/page/1#comments

Cmon Fitbit!

 

[Chupa Chupa]

So is it possible for Fitbit to push out an update to cripple this app? They can't be too pleased with a .99 app ruining their new business model.

 

[mvereecken]

And I'm also curious - if a user has two tracking devices and both sync their data into the same repository, does that double the numbers? If I burned 100 calories, will the Health app show me 200 calories because two different devices provided '100' each? I wonder if it's smart enough to figure this out?

Well, I HAVE 2 tracking devices, and in Health "sources", you can define which app can read/write, and what specific data. Once configured right, you won't have double entries.

 

[Yakibomb]

Now if this sync app is blocked or the api is broken, it will be a telltale sign how hostile Fitbit is to users retaining the data they rightfully own.

I'm pretty sure in a couple of weeks (or a few months) Fitbit will either block this app or integrate HealthKit into their app, although i'd much prefer the later its seems a little unlikely

 

[foodog]

The article says your steps will be doubled because the iPhone and the tracker both measure and you can't change that but I don't know about 2 trackers. Why are you using 2 trackers anyway?

Not sure about this app doubling steps but IOS's health app allows you to prioritize input sources. I have a jawbone UP and I carry my phone with me a lot while walking. The UP is the primary source and both devices are logging steps, but the phone ignores its input when it is also getting step information from the Jawbone.

 

[lewisd25]

Fitbit will be irrelevant in a few months anyway. They can keep their premium service.

 

[Yakibomb]

Fitbit will be irrelevant in a few months anyway. They can keep their premium service.

I highly doubt that fitbit will become irrelevant so quickly, although they are more quality competitors out here now +70% marketshare doesn't just evaporate

 

[ampedtwiz]

Fitbit and Apple appear to be at war with each other. I don't think Fitbit will play nice with the Health app any time soon.

I've had a Fitbit since May. I purchased Sync Solver yesterday and within a few minutes I had all of my Fitbit data back to May appearing in the Health app. Highly recommend the app if you have been craving to see that data in Health.

 

[coolfactor]

Well, I HAVE 2 tracking devices, and in Health "sources", you can define which app can read/write, and what specific data. Once configured right, you won't have double entries.

Good, so internally, they are keeping track of the source of each data bit. That's good to know. That also means you can remove data from a given source if you want

 

[manu chao]

the iPhone itself (5S and up) does count your steps while you have it in your pocket and acts like a tracker. If that is a concern, then this is just pointing it out. My iPhone sits on my desk most of my day though, so it's really not that big of a deal for me.

The question is: do you sit at your desk most of your day? Then the iPhone and Fitbit should still record about the same number of steps.

 

[ScottNWDW]

I downloaded this app and it did work great to sync the fitbit stuff, my only issue is that once the app was on my iPhone it rendered my iHealth app for my blood pressure monitor and Blood Oxygen monitor useless. The apps that control those two monitors would load and then freeze. As soon as I deleted Sync Solver the iHealth apps worked again.

Since I need to take my blood pressure daily, I need to be able to use the iHealth app. Until this bug is worked out looks like I wasted a dollar.