At the annual Google I/O conference, Google announced some updates to Health Connect, a platform that allows users to store health data and adjust privacy settings all in one place. Health Connect is currently available in beta, but with the release of Android 14 later this year, Health Connect will be a core part of Android and available on all Android mobile devices.
Users can access Health Connect directly from Settings on their device, allowing them to control how their health data is shared between apps.
Google is adding a new workout routes feature that allows users to share maps of their workouts through Health Connect. The company has also made it easier for users to track their menstrual cycles. Google notes that Health Connect updates are delivered via Google Play system updates, so new features can be updated often.
More than 100 apps are already integrated with Health Connect, including Peloton, Withings, Oura and other major apps. Health Connect syncs health and fitness data from eligible platforms and allows other apps to access this data with their permission, while providing users with centralized privacy controls. Developers previously had to establish multiple API connections to share data between different apps, limiting developers’ data sharing capabilities and making it difficult for users to unlock this data for use in different apps.
The company also announced today that MyFitnessPal will enable individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to view their glucose data directly in the MyFitnessPal app, through an integration with Health Connect.
In addition, Google has announced updates to Health Services, the API surface for accessing sensor data on Wear OS devices in an energy-efficient manner. The company announced a new “Batching Modes” feature that allows developers to customize the frequency of heart rate data delivery to support home gym use cases. Google has also added new API capabilities such as wave shot detection.
When Wear OS 4 arrives later this year, Google plans to release additional updates to the health services, including improved permissions for background body sensors.
