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Jawbone acquires health-tracking pioneer BodyMedia, opens API to developers

Did your vibrating fitness bracelet wake you up on time? Good, because Jawbone has not one, but two pieces of news to share this morning. First off, getting the corporate news out of the way, the company's buying BodyMedia, perhaps best known for its wearable fitness trackers (yep, similar to what Jawbone's already making). In fact, though, BodyMedia's been in the health-data business since 1999, with a particularly strong foothold in the medical industry -- a market Jawbone hasn't reached yet, but would like to. As you can imagine, once the deal is finalized and Jawbone brings on BodyMedia's 60-odd employees, the plan will be to improve Jawbone's existing apps, and maybe even break into healthcare. In the meantime, we're told Jawbone will continue to sell BodyMedia's fitness monitors, but the company hasn't said either way if it plans to keep them around indefinitely.

Speaking of improving the current Jawbone apps, the company is also opening up its API to developers so that they can use Jawbone stats in their applications, as well as share their own data back with Jawbone. For now, the Up platform is open only for iOS, though a company rep told us an Android version is in the works too. (No exact ETA there, sorry.) At launch, there will be 10 apps on board, including notables like RunKeeper, Withings and MapMyFitness. What's neat is that users can manually disable a connection with these apps anytime they want, and when they do, these third-party developers are required to delete user data from their servers. Again, no word on when this will be available for Android, but for now, at least, the iOS platform is open to developers worldwide. Hit the break for more info, along with a full list of the apps you can sync with your Up band right away.%Gallery-187158%

Apps launching on the Up platform:

  • RunKeeper

  • Withings

  • Lose It!

  • MapMyFitness

  • MyFitnessPal

  • IFTTT (If This Then That)

  • Sleepio

  • Wello

  • Notch

  • Maxwell Health

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Jawbone UNVEILS the UP Platform
Ten Best-In-Class Services Now Integrated with UP; Open API Coming Soon

SAN FRANCISCO – Apr. 30, 2013 – Jawbone® today announced its UP® Platform for iOS and unveiled 10 apps that have integrated with UP, the wristband and app system that helps you know yourself so that you can make smarter choices and feel your best. Jawbone also announced it will soon open the API for others to integrate services with UP or build entirely new experiences.

Jawbone teamed up with a variety of lifestyle, workout, food and other health tracking services, so you can get the most out of the apps you already love and discover new ones, to complement your UP experience. Beginning today, the UP app version 2.5 for iOS enables you to integrate any of these 10 best-in-class services: IFTTT, LoseIt!, Maxwell Health, MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, Notch, RunKeeper, Sleepio, Wello and Withings. For example, now you can:


· Log a run or bike ride with RunKeeper or MapMyFitness, and view your workout data in UP, including maps of your route, to see how last night's sleep may have impacted your speed or distance.
· Step on your Withings scale and automatically import your weight into UP, to track it in the context of how you sleep, eat and move, and get support from your UP teammates as you work toward your goal.
· Create nudges using IFTTT based on your UP activity, like texting you to go for a run if the weather is sunny, or tweeting at your workout partner when you reach 15,000 steps.
· Complete a workout with a personal trainer in your home or hotel room using Wello, and log the workout directly into UP.

Once connected with an app through UP, you can view your activity from UP and any partner app in your feed, lifeline, and trends. You can also use your UP data in selected apps – including things like detailed sleep and movement data, your food or even your mood – to make those experiences even richer.

"UP is about knowing yourself," said Travis Bogard, Vice President of Product Management and Strategy at Jawbone. "The platform allows our community to create extremely personal experiences tailored to their lifestyles and goals, and enhance the apps they're already using. And, our unique approach to building an API with bi-directional data sharing benefits developers and partners as they seek to reach new customers and design experiences that weren't before possible. The UP platform is another step in building a broader ecosystem that helps people everywhere live healthier lives."