Jawbone released its new Apple HealthKit app UP yesterday, giving iOS 8 users a new way to track their exercise, eating habits and sleeping patterns.
Apple's 8.0.2 iOS Update Actually Lets HealthKit Apps Show Up In The App Store
In the past couple of years, Jawbone has become a leader in both the wearable tech market and the fitness tracking craze. The company's UP line of wristbands are meant to be worn all day and night while it tracks the wearer's movement and sleep patterns. It also allows users to input the food they eat for a comprehensive health report.
The new UP app for Apple Health, however, doesn't require an UP wristband. Users can manually input their food and sleep data while the smartphone's pedometer can keep track of exercise data. As the app slowly gathers data, it will begin to offer suggestions using its Insight Engine for how the user can improve their health.
The app lets users set fitness goals – or have goals recommended to them via the app itself – and then receive notifications for milestones along the way. The app also features support for many other apps and devices, meaning users can connect all of their fitness-related miscellany in one central location.
Apple Health and the range of supplementary HealthKit apps are a new feature in iOS 8. The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are built for advanced fitness tracking, including a built-in barometer for altitude tracking. Apple is likely setting up all of this infrastructure so that the Apple Watch will be able to seamlessly slide into Apple's fitness programs when it launches sometime next year.
Jawbone's UP app is available for free download on the App Store.