A bug in Apple’s new HealthKit developer software is delaying the launch of third-party health and fitness apps that want to take advantage of its new iPhone operating system.
Health app developers had planned to release new compatible versions of their apps last Wednesday, coinciding with the iOS 8 software launch, but many found they were not available on the App Store.
Apple released a statement saying that the company had detected a bug in the HealthKit platform and therefore was not ready to launch, adding that it could take up to two weeks to fix.
HealthKit allows the development of apps that can consolidate information from multiple sources to make digital health more user friendly. For example, with the user’s permission, it could allow a nutrition app to share how many calories the user has consumed with a separate fitness app.
Users can also share some medical data, such as blood pressure readings, automatically with a doctor if they wish.
Apple CEO Tim Cook told Bloomberg recently that using the iPhone’s new Health functions “is yet another way to being to build a comprehensive view of your life which should empower you to take care of yourself over time”.
