Google and Samsung join forces to make it easier to sync fitness data between apps

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Health connect is a platform and application programming interface that gives developers a toolset to sync users' health data between their apps and devices This will make it easier for users to keep track of their health and fitness data.

Once a user opts in, developers can put their health data in a hub that is located on the user's device. Users will have full control over what data they share and what apps they share it with. If more than one app is collecting the same type of data, users can choose to share it with one app over the others. Activity, body measurement, cycle tracking, nutrition, sleep, and vitals are some of the data types Health Connect supports.

The full benefits and potential of Health connect are being realized by us and other partners. With users' permission, this will allow app developers to take advantage of the data measured on the watch and use it in their apps as well.

Health connect is open to all developers. The developers of MyFitnessPal, Leap Fitness, and Withings are in an early access program with Google. Health Connect should be available in time for the release of the Pixel Watch later this year.

Jon Porter points out that the Health ConnectAPI is just one example of the willingness of the company to collaborate with other companies. Unlike Apple and SAMSUNG, which push users into their products, Google doesn't tend to push users towards its own products.