Fitness

Take a peak inside Apple’s top secret health and fitness testing lab for Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 20, 2015

ABC News has been given an unprecedented, exclusive look at Apple's top-secret lab inside its Cupertino headquarters which the company has been using for testing health, fitness and movement tracking features of the Apple Watch.

The broadcaster has now released a short video which offers a rare glimpse into the facility. Jay Blahnik, the key Nike FuleBand developer whom the iPhone maker hired more than two years ago to help develop the Apple Watch's fitness features, can be seen in the video discussing the purpose of the lab with ABC's Rebecca Jarvis.

Atari releases fitness app that rewards your progress with games

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 19, 2015

Need another fitness app to put on your iPhone? How about a gamefied fitness software which motivates you to get in shape by providing unlockable games to play? Enter Atari Fit.

I know what you're thinking, Atari is a video game publisher. That was my first thought, too, and it seems Atari is keen to leverage the popularity of Apple's HealthKit platform to attract fitness buffs to its classic games in some novel ways.

Apple Watch: a deeper look at the Activity app in iOS 8.2

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

For the last few hours I've been playing with the Activity app on iOS 8.2. The Activity app is a stock app included in iOS 8.2, but it's currently hidden until you connect an Apple Watch. Thanks to developer Hamza Sood, I was able to access the app early and take it for a a test drive on video. Here's what I found...

A closer look at Apple Watch’s Activity companion app for iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

After sitting through Apple's “Spring Forward” media presentation from start to finish, I couldn't help but notice a slide tim Cook briefly put up, depicting an iOS version of the Apple Watch's Activity app. I immediately took to Twitter, wondering when users could expect to see the software on their iPhones.

Last evening, developer Hamza Sood tweeted out a series of screenshots of the Activity app from iOS 8.2, released for public consumption on Monday.

The app is hidden and would only appear on a user's Home screen once an Apple Watch has been connected and paired with an iPhone using the Apple Watch iOS app (which by the way cannot be deleted from the device).

FDA clarifies when health and fitness wearables should be considered medical devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 20, 2015

We know Apple's upcoming Watch, due in March, will double as a fitness and a health tracking device, but could it be classed as a regulated medical device?

According to the preliminary guidelines published Tuesday on the United States Food and Drug Administration's website, any wearable device which wants to be considered a medical device must prove that it can treat specific diseases or conditions, as first noted by AppleInsider.

If not, any such device should be considered a general wellness gadget, not a regulated medical device.

Fitbit Charge HR, Surge now available for $149/$249

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Can't wait for the Apple Watch to track your health? Fitbit announced the availability of the Charge HR and Surge on Tuesday, after unveiling the products last October.

The Charge HR, available from Fitbit's website for $149, is a heart rate tracker on the wrist, with an OLED screen, an exercise mode, Caller ID, automatic sleep detection, and a water resistant design with 5 days of battery life. It's available in plum, black, blue, or tangerine.

10 apps to start the New Year off right

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

It is finally 2015 and we’ve all got big dreams and big goals for the New Year. I love setting resolutions, but hate trying to keep to them. My biggest problems are with staying fit and keeping organized. I start off with a bang, but eventually lose momentum after a few months.

Whether you are fighting to shed that “winter coat” you gained during the holidays, or are looking for a better way to get your life organized, we’ve got a list of apps to help you start the New Year off right.

The best Health & Fitness apps of 2014

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 27, 2018

Even if you are not big on exercising, you have to admit that, with the launch of HealthKit and the Health app, people got a little more excited about their morning jog than they used to. Plus, with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus M8 motion coprocessor barometer feature, you can now track your stair climbing, too.

We tracked down the best health and fitness apps to launch on iOS in 2014 so you don’t have to do as much work. Then, we drew straws to see who got to choose the winner. The resulting top health and fitness app, plus the runner-ups, and the best fitness app of all time, are listed for your reading enjoyment below.

New ‘Sync Solver’ app sends Fitbit data to Apple’s Health app

Cody Lee ∙ November 19, 2014

In October, Fitbit announced that it had no plans of integrating its activity trackers or software with Apple's Health app. This means that if you have a Fitbit Flex or other device, the data it gathers will not be shared with Health, crippling its attempt to be your fitness data dashboard.

But a new app launched this week in the App Store that aims to change this. It's called Sync Solver, and it allows Fitbit wearers to track all of the important data collected by their wearables within the Health app, without ever having to use the standalone, dedicated Fitbit application.

Apple removes Fitbit products from online store

Cody Lee ∙ November 7, 2014

Apple has followed through with plans to stop selling Fitbit devices. As noted by MacRumors, the company has pulled all Fitbit products from its online store and has begun removing them from the shelves of its retail stores as well.

Previously, Apple carried the Fitbit Flex fitness band and the classic Fitbit one, both of which connected to iOS devices. The reason behind the removals is unknown, but there does appear to be tension brewing between the two firms.

Jawbone introduces new ‘UP3’ and ‘UP Move’ fitness trackers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Jawbone joined the onslaught of pre-holiday wearable announcements this morning, introducing two new connected devices for tracking movement: the UP3 and the UP Move. The UP3 is a much improved version of the current UP24 band, and the UP Move is an inexpensive, clip-on tracker.

The UP3 is billed as the "world's most advanced fitness tracker," and is both smaller and lighter than its predecessor. It's also sporting a refreshed design, and it contains some cutting edge new sensors that allow it do things like measure your resting heart rate, and identify what you are doing.

Microsoft launches $199 fitness band with 10 sensors

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Microsoft this morning unveiled its long-rumored wearable: the Microsoft Band. With a design resembling Samsung's Gear Fit, the fitness-tracking wristband features 10 sensors, supports all major mobile platforms, and integrates with Microsoft's new cloud-based Health service.

Interestingly enough, Microsoft decided to skip any kind of media event or press release, opting instead to reveal the device to Recode following the discovery of new Health apps on iOS and Android last night. So was this meant to downplay an insignificant launch? Let's find out.