Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Apple tightens HealthKit privacy policy in bid to protect users’ health data

Trevor Mogg
By

apple health app murder germany
Image used with permission by copyright holder
With Apple’s HealthKit platform set to launch in the coming weeks as part of iOS 8, the tech company has updated its privacy policy for health apps, with the new rules warning developers of HealthKit-related mobile software not to sell or share collected personal data to marketers or any similar organizations.

Apple is all set to reveal a new iPhone (or iPhones), and possibly a smartwatch, at a special event in Cupertino on September 9. iOS 8 is expected to launch at the same time, with a slew of new health-related apps from independent developers likely to follow soon after.

Recommended Videos

Related: Apple wants to bring HealthKit to a hospital near you

Related

HealthKit is an Apple-made application program interface (API) that tracks and gathers data from third-party software for presentation in Apple’s forthcoming Health app. The new app has the potential to show a wide range of user data, including, for example, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and physical activity. Data can also be delivered via hardware such as Fitbit, or the sensor-laden smartwatch that many expect Apple to unveil alongside its new handsets next month.

Related: Best iPhone fitness apps

While developers will be able to build apps that deliver data to Health, they’ll also be able to pull information from other health-related apps on a user’s mobile device if granted permission.

With this in mind, Apple is keen to ensure that such sensitive information is not sold on or in any way distributed to others. The Cupertino company’s updated policy informs developers they must not “sell an end-user’s health information collected through the HealthKit API to advertising platforms, data brokers or information resellers,” and also should not use collected data for any other purpose than to provide health and/or fitness services.

According to an FT report Thursday, research carried out last year by campaign group Privacy Clearing House revealed that 43 percent of the health apps it looked at shared “personally identifiable information” with marketers.

Apple hopes that by making the rules clear from the start, it’ll be able to avoid privacy-related controversies further down the road. The move also aims to instill confidence in customers using its products to monitor their fitness and health, an area which is attracting increasing attention from not only app developers but gadget makers, too.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
One of the biggest Oura Ring competitors just did something huge
The Ultrahuman Ring Air and the Oura Ring, resting on a table.

Ultrahuman, the maker of the Ultrahuman Ring Air, is making its way to U.S. production grounds. The company is setting up a production facility in Indiana, which will mark the first time a smart ring from Ultrahuman will be assembled from scratch on U.S. soil.

“The UltraFactory will offer an end-to-end production capability and is based on the company’s first operational model of such a facility in India,” the company says.

Read more
Best Verizon new customer deals: Galaxy S24, iPhone and more
Verizon logo on a smartphone screen in a dark room and a finger touching it.

If you’re in the market for one of the best phones, or any new phone for that matter, you’re going to need a good carrier. Verizon has long been one of the most popular options, as it boasts one of the most reliable networks in the United States. It offers some of the best cell phone plans out there, and for new customers Verizon also offers some pretty impressive discounts on new phones. In many cases this means you can brand new, recently released phones entirely for free when signing up with Verizon. And that’s the case right now, as we’re currently seeing some of the best Verizon new customer deals we’ve seen. You can pretty easily land a new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy phone, and Google Pixel for free, and we’ve got all of the details on how to do so. If that sounds enticing, read onward and start shopping the best Verizon new customer deals available right now.
Free iPhone SE (3rd Gen)

The 2022 release of the Apple iPhone SE is yours for free when you sign up for a new 5G data plan on Verizon -- no trade-ins required. It's the best small smartphone in our list of the best smartphones with a 4.7-inch Liquid Retina display, but it doesn't sacrifice performance as it's powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chip that's also found in the iPhone 13 line and pre-installed with iOS 15. The latest iPhone SE is equipped with a single 12MP rear sensor and 7MP selfie camera, which are boosted by Apple's software to enable better photographs.

Read more
AirTags range: here’s how far the tracker can reach
An AirTag attached on a keyring

Apple AirTags are a helpful tool for tracking valuable possessions like wallets, keys, luggage, and backpacks. These tags employ various technologies that allow you to track your items from short and long distances using your compatible Apple device, such as an iPhone 15 Plus. You might wonder how far you can track your items with AirTags. It's time to find out.
AirTags range, explained

The range of AirTags varies depending on the method you use to locate them. A Bluetooth connection will work when your AirTags are close to your supported Apple device. Otherwise, Apple's Find My network is utilized. Luckily, you don't have to choose the method because it's selected behind the scenes automatically.

Read more