After a series of botched updates, which meant HealthKit apps could not launch alongside iOS 8’s release, Apple has finally started allowing apps that integrate with the Health app into the App Store. The first of many is FitPort, which acts as a replacement dashboard for Health information, with all data being synced back into the Health database.
On opening the app, the Health permissions screen opens which asks users to individually enable access to health statistics. This allows users to be very selective about what information they share with third-party apps. Users have to explicitly enable read and write capabilities for every health data type the app wants to integrate. Just like asking for location access, this sheet is presented by the OS, meaning all apps benefit from this level of privacy.
HealthKit apps were originally supposed to return to the store with iOS 8.0.1, but given the cellular and Touch ID bugs with the update for iPhone 6 users, Apple had to pull the update. Now that 8.0.2 is out, Apple has finally allowed HealthKit apps to return to the store as shown by the appearance of FitPort.
It’s unclear how FitPort managed to ‘jump the queue’ ahead of the bigger players, but no doubt an onslaught of HealthKit updates will follow in the coming hours and days.
