Fitbit has lost ground in the fitness market, which many industry watchers attribute to heightened competition from Apple and Samsung, according to a recent CNBC report. Fitbit posted $247.9 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2018, down 17 percent from revenues obtained during the same period in 2017.
However, Fitbit has revealed various plans to penetrate the healthcare market. In April, Fitbit announced plans to use Google’s Cloud Healthcare API tool to connect smartwatch users’ data with EMRs. Last year, the company discussed plans to enter the sleep apnea market with CNBC.
On May 7, the company revealed a list of healthcare apps it plans to integrate into its Fitbit Ionic and Fitbit Versa smartwatches to help users manage chronic conditions.
Through partnerships with Dexcom and One Drop, Fitbit will add tools to help users with diabetes monitor their glucose levels. Under a collaboration with Diplomat Pharmacy, users with cancer will be able to access care management and prescription reminders from within their smartwatch.
Beyond chronic condition management, Fitbit’s offerings also include an emphasis on forecasting for preventive care. The “social health network” Sickweather worked with Fitbit to create a clock face that details the risk of contracting various contagious illnesses based on the user’s current location.
“Smartwatches provide a powerful platform to deliver important health tools that help our users manage conditions more conveniently than ever before,” James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit, said in a May 7 statement. “With these apps and clock faces, we continue to deliver on our promise to bring important health information to the wrist.”
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