An unexpected bug has derailed Apple’s plans to release its iOS 8 Health and fitness apps.
The much anticipated Apple Healthkit apps (health and fitness-related tracking apps) that were designed for the company’s Healthkit platform, and were to be released with the recent launch of iOS 8, have been postponed due to an unspecified software bug, which means users and developers will need to delay their plans for this new software, which is expected to be one of the major features of the Apple Watch when it is launched in 2015.
Healthkit is a key feature of Apple’s newly released iOS 8 platform.
Although Apple has not shed any light on the nature of the bug or how or why it occurred, representatives of the company have said that they are working on developing a solution in the next couple of weeks.
In a statement she made, Trudy Muller, an Apple spokesperson, said that “We discovered a bug that prevents us from making HealthKit apps available on iOS 8 today.” Muller added that “We’re working quickly to have the bug fixed in a software update and have HealthKit apps available by the end of the month.”
The Healthkit platform was announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The platform was created for application developers who want to disseminate health information or collect it. Apple sees the mobile technology as working in tandem with its devices to gather health data from users and have this collected information sent to doctors with the permission of patients.
According to Apple, the patient’s health information is stored by Healthkit in a centralized location that no one else can access without the permission of the user. The electronics giant says that its new mhealth platform could help improve healthcare and the method in which medical professionals receive information regarding the health of their patients.
Several fitness-tracking app developers had planned to take advantage of the Apple Healthkit apps platform.
Some developers, including Strava, Lark and WebMD have jumped on board and apps from these companies were expected to be available at Apple’s App Store on iOS 8 when the latest operating system was launched last Wednesday. However, these Apple Healthkit apps are currently unavailable for download.
