Google Previews Fit SDK

Google first announced Fit this past June at its annual I/O Developer Conference, and the health and fitness service for Android will now be open to limited testing for developers. The actual service will launch later this year with the release of Android L and to compete with Apple’s HealthKit, and its highly rumored wearable entry.

The SDK preview gives developers access to three different API’s, with the fourth yet to be released. In the Sensor API, developers will be able to use raw sensor data from different connected apps and devices, such as fitness trackers and wearables. A common application of this API could be heart rate monitor that registers with a running app and displays the info upon the screen. The Recording API works similarly, but instead of using raw data, it allows apps to register for cloud-synced background data collection. It works in tandem with the Sensor API, since the latter doesn’t actually store any of the info, meaning if data needs to be recalled later on it has to go through the Recording API. Lastly, the History API allows users to import and use fitness data recorded previously from other apps and devices and use this data in their new apps.

Google Fit Platform Overview. Source: Google.

For developers to begin working on the SDK, they will need to download the special version of Android L Developer Preview on a Nexus 5 phone or a second-generation Nexus 7 WiFi tablet. While Google only allows limited devices to run the SDK currently, they plan allowing in the future any wearable or sensor to work with their fitness apps, and continue their mantra of an open ecosystem for Fit.

For further info, check out the Google’s platform overview.

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