All articles tagged with #health data
Google Health 5.05 now lets Fitbit workouts, steps, and vitals be linked directly to Apple Health, enabling data to flow from Google Health to Apple Health without third‑party workarounds. The update follows Google Health replacing the Fitbit app earlier this year and adds Smart Health Links to share medical records; previously, users could only import Apple Health data into Google Health.
AI health tools now let users upload medical records and wearables to get personalized health insights and track changes, but privacy and accuracy concerns persist, with no comprehensive US privacy law and varying promises from companies. Experts warn about biases and misdiagnoses, while clinicians advocate cautious use: limit data retention, frame questions clearly, start new chats, verify with a doctor, and seek emergency care if symptoms suggest it.
OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT Health to US adults, enabling the chatbot to reference personal medical data from doctor notes, test results, and records from Apple Health via HealthKit and providers like Kaiser Permanente or One Medical; it aims to ground health conversations in records, summarize appointments, and interpret tests, but not diagnose; users can control data usage and disconnect anytime; privacy safeguards include not using data to train models or target ads, though the rollout amid lawsuits and Apple-related concerns adds some sensitivity to data sharing.
OpenAI relaunches Health in ChatGPT with expanded U.S. access, enabling users to securely connect Apple Health and medical records so ChatGPT can provide context-aware insights, track changes over time, and relate health data to sleep and activity across web and iOS on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans.
Mozilla’s investigation of six popular period-tracking apps finds a spectrum of privacy practices: some apps keep data on-device with minimal sharing (notably Euki), while others send health details to third parties (Stardust to RudderStack; Planned Parenthood’s Spot On via AB Tasty; Flo/Clue to ad networks). Many apps also transmit basic user IDs to analytics and advertising platforms, creating avenues for surveillance and potential legal requests in abortion-crimes-sensitive contexts. The report highlights that this isn’t just about legality but transparency and user control, and it underscores the lack of a broad US privacy law, calling for stricter regulation. Some apps have improved privacy, but others still collect substantial data and store it in the cloud, raising ongoing privacy concerns.
Pixel Watch users report a persistent Fitbit sensor permission screen that blocks access to health apps even when all permissions are enabled, across multiple generations. Factory resets don’t fix it, suggesting a software issue in the Fitbit-to-Google Health integration. Google hasn’t issued an official statement yet. The recommended interim steps are to keep the watch firmware and Google Health app updated and ensure data is syncing, while avoiding factory resets since they rarely help.
Samsung Health now includes a consent toggle for AI training, and disabling it prevents health data from syncing to your Samsung account and may trigger deletion of existing data, prompting questions about data privacy and how health information is used for AI training.
A practical guide to configuring Google's new Health app: customize the Today page tiles by deleting and re-adding items (drag rearrangement isn’t supported yet), repeat the same cleanup on the Health tab for a tailored data view, and on Android add the (non-customizable) Google Health widget for quick metrics. The article frames these steps as part of Google’s ongoing updates after replacing Fitbit, aimed at improving usability.
Oura’s Ring 5 is 40% smaller than Ring 4, thanks to redesigned internals that shrink signal paths from 18 to 12 and boost LEDs for better readings across skin tones. It comes in sizes 6–13 (Ring 4 offered 4–15) and includes a charging case that can keep it powered for about a month. Hardware updates accompany Health Radar, AI-assisted guidance via Counsel Health, GLP-1 Insights, Health Records, and Live Activity on iPhone, among other features. Pre-orders are live with shipping starting June 6; pricing starts at $399 (base), $499 for additional finishes, $99 for the charging case, and a $6/month or $70/year subscription.
WIRED tests Muse Spark, Meta's health-focused AI, which encourages users to paste lab results and biometric data for analysis, but privacy risks loom since data can be stored to train models and used for ads, HIPAA protections don’t apply to consumer AI, and experts warn the tool is not a doctor and can give risky guidance (including an extreme fasting plan).
Garmin is developing a third‑party Garmin Chat Connector to link Garmin Connect data with AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Claude, enabling natural‑language questions about sleep, workouts, and recovery. The system, a cloud‑hosted MCP server, securely connects data via a token‑based URL and exposes 16 data tools across five categories; it is not an official Garmin product and is nearing completion as part of a broader move toward conversational health analytics.
Ultrahuman unveils Ring Pro, its third-gen smart ring, with up to 15 days of battery life and 250 days of on-device health history, plus a Pro Charging Case that adds ~45 more days and stores a year of data. The ring features a redesigned heart-rate sensor, faster processor, and improved safety features. Preorders are $479, US availability is blocked due to Oura patent issues, and shipments start in March. The Jade real-time biointelligence AI platform will roll out globally, offering health insights and, in future updates, smart-home controls and services.
The article outlines five practical settings you can adjust on your Apple Watch to improve heart-rate measurements, emphasizing a snug wrist fit and proper calibration so readings are more reliable during workouts and everyday wear.
The author tested OpenAI's ChatGPT Health and Anthropic's Claude by uploading a decade of Apple Health data (and later medical records) to obtain a simple cardiac-health grade. Outputs swung widely—ChatGPT gave an F, then a D after adding records; Claude varied between C and B—driven by noisy VO2 max estimates and changing resting heart-rate data. Experts say the analyses are not medical advice, and privacy promises to protect data aren’t HIPAA-covered. While AI health tools could unlock insights, the article argues they’re not ready for personal clinical decisions and should mainly support prepping for a doctor visit.
OpenAI has agreed to acquire Torch, a one-year-old AI healthcare app, for about $100 million in equity (roughly $60 million upfront with the rest in stock to retain employees), a move that extends OpenAI’s reach into health-data analysis from providers like Kaiser Permanente to apps like Apple Health and firms such as Prenuvo.