The recently released iOS 8 Apple HealthKit allows third-party health and fitness apps to share data with Apple’s new health framework. According to Tech Times, although the tool is expected to be running at full capacity halfway through 2015, there are already a few apps that work well with it.
Over the weekend, Apple shared a short list of HealthKit apps to use with the new platform. Here are some that promise to transform HealthKit into a unique experience for iOS 8 users:
1. UP Tracks Steps, Sleep, and Food
Jawbone’s UP app used to work only with its line of wearable bands, but now it fully integrates into the Apple HealthKit folder. This app tracks a person’s steps, sleep times, and food intake. While the first two can be easily tracked with the activity-tracking band, if the user wants to include food tracking, he or she must manually enter the food items’ names or scan their bar codes.
The UP app allows users to connect with friends and offers words of encouragement, including a congratulatory gesture upon reaching each goal or milestone.
2. MyFitnessPal Offers a Hardcore Diet and Exercise Regimen
With MyFitnessPal, getting started is as simple as signing up and setting a fitness goal. After users are asked a number of questions about how active they are, the app calculates the total number of calories the user should take in on a daily basis. It will also tell users the dates for each milestone and the corresponding approximate weight loss.
3. CARROT Fit Sticks to a Military-Style Approach
The CARROT Fit app promises to whip users into shape by feeding data to HealthKit regarding a person’s weight, calorie intake, and workouts, and it keeps a close eye on the user’s actions. Users have the opportunity to accumulate points and unlock new levels. After unlocking each level, the user receives a reward within the app. The app boasts such features as an exercise calendar, a BMI calculator, and “a pretty graph” to track your progress.
4. Human Keeps People Active
The Human app is quite simple: All a user has to do is stay active for at least 30 consecutive minutes per day. It is more for people who want to stay healthy and maintain a level of fitness rather than those looking to lose weight.
5. Fitnet Helps Users Find a Live Trainer
Fitnet allows users to choose a real-life trainer who will follow their progress. It offers both encouragement and tips through an in-app messaging system. Although the service is free, every trainer handpicked by the team behind the app currently has a wait list.
Have any of these Apple HealthKit fitness apps influenced your daily habits?
Image courtesy of Flickr
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