WebMD today launched “Healthy Target”, a feature within its iOS app that lets users track health data from a variety of sources like activity trackers, glucose meters, and other iPhone-connected health and fitness accessories. The feature lets users set goals, track habits, get easy to understand summaries of biometric data, and also provides progress reports and inspiration along the way. WebMD says the feature “will provide valuable assistance to individuals looking to manage chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well as to a broader audience interested in achieving their fitness goals or more generally living a healthier lifestyle.” The feature acts a lot like Apple’s new Health app, which is about to launch alongside its new HealthKit platform for developers this fall with iOS 8.
With the recent introduction of Apple’s own Healthkit platform, which also acts as a central location to store and manage health and fitness data on the iPhone, it’s possible the new WebMD feature could eventually tap into Healthkit in order to pull in data from third-party apps in addition to accessories. While Apple will provide the Health app in iOS 8 as an easy way for users to access all of their health data from accessories and other apps, it will be interesting to see if users gravitate towards third party options like this new WebMD feature.
Today, WebMD Health Corp. launched WebMD Healthy Target, an integrated health improvement program that uses biometric device data from activity trackers, wireless scales and glucose meters to deliver tailored, physician-reviewed, contextually relevant content and motivational tips to individuals looking to develop sustainable health-conscious habits…. Available within WebMD’s flagship mobile app for iPhone, Healthy Target can translate step, sleep, weight and blood glucose data from multiple well-known device manufacturers, including Entra, Fitbit, UP by Jawbone and Withings, into actionable insights. In addition, iPhone 5s users have the option to track their steps with their smartphone. Users can manually input their biometric data into Healthy Target or connect their devices.
