Use HealthKit to enable your iOS and watchOS apps to work with the Apple Health app.

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Workout not showing for import on Strava
I have a workout app which I am testing on device currently via TestFlight. The generated workout (tennis and indoor) shows in the fitness app with correct HR and duration. However, when I go to my Strava app, it does not show in the list of workouts for importing. (note, activities tracked using the regular tennis mode on the Apple Watch show fine) I have also concurrently reached out to Strava support to see if there's anything they can offer support for. However, does anybody here have any knowledge/experience of the requirement? Or whether this is a limitation of an application deployed via TestFlight? I have a terrible feeling I am chasing ghosts, and it may be a TestFlight limitation for exporting workouts? Thanks
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874
Jan ’25
Inquiry About Background Permission Issue in My App
I am writing to address a concern regarding the background permission functionality in my app, which is critical for ensuring user safety as they navigate various terrains. This feature also enables users to smoothly record their navigation tracks for review after their activities. Recently, I've noticed that this functionality is not working as seamlessly as before. Additionally, I observed that the app is not categorized under 'health and fitness'—could reclassifying it improve background activity? Before I delve into a detailed code review, I wanted to check if this issue might be related to sync or settings on the App Store side, such as permission configurations, app updates, or other related factors. Or, is it more likely an issue stemming from the app’s codebase?
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441
Jan ’25
HealthKit permissions not honoring user selection
I'm dealing with a strange bug where I am requesting read access for 'appleExerciseTime' and 'activitySummaryType', and despite enabling both in the permission sheet, they are being set to 'sharingDenied'. I'm writing a Swift Test for making sure permissions are being granted. @Test func PermissionsGranted() { try await self.manager.getPermissions() for type in await manager.allHealthTypes { let status = await manager.healthStore.authorizationStatus(for: type) #expect(status == .sharingAuthorized, "\(type) authorization status is \(status)") } } let healthTypesToShare: Set<HKSampleType> = [ HKQuantityType(.bodyMass), HKQuantityType(.bodyFatPercentage), HKQuantityType(.leanBodyMass), HKQuantityType(.activeEnergyBurned), HKQuantityType(.basalEnergyBurned), HKObjectType.workoutType() ] let allHealthTypes: Set<HKObjectType> = [ HKQuantityType(.bodyMass), HKQuantityType(.bodyFatPercentage), HKQuantityType(.leanBodyMass), HKQuantityType(.activeEnergyBurned), HKQuantityType(.basalEnergyBurned), HKQuantityType(.appleExerciseTime), HKObjectType.activitySummaryType() ] let healthStore = HKHealthStore() func getPermissions() async throws { try await healthStore.requestAuthorization(toShare: self.healthTypesToShare, read: self.allHealthTypes) } After 'getPermissions' runs, the permission sheet shows up on the Simulator, and I accept all. I've double checked that the failing permissions show up on the sheet and are enabled. Then the test fails with: Expectation failed: (status → HKAuthorizationStatus(rawValue: 1)) == (.sharingAuthorized → HKAuthorizationStatus(rawValue: 2)) HKActivitySummaryTypeIdentifier authorization status is HKAuthorizationStatus(rawValue: 1) Expectation failed: (status → HKAuthorizationStatus(rawValue: 1)) == (.sharingAuthorized → HKAuthorizationStatus(rawValue: 2)) HKActivitySummaryTypeIdentifier authorization status is HKAuthorizationStatus(rawValue: 1) With the rawValue of '1' being 'sharingDenied'. All other permissions are granted. Is there a workaround here, or something I'm potentially doing wrong?
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949
Jan ’25
Can't properly check if Health Kit is authorized.
In my WatchOS app I've written the following code to check if my app has access to the user's health data: func isHealthKitAuthorized() -> Bool { let typesToRead: [HKObjectType] = [ HKObjectType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .heartRate)!, HKObjectType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .activeEnergyBurned)!, HKObjectType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .appleMoveTime)!, HKObjectType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .appleExerciseTime)!, HKObjectType.workoutType() ] let typesToShare: Set<HKSampleType> = [ HKObjectType.workoutType(), HKObjectType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .activeEnergyBurned)!, HKObjectType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .heartRate)! ] var isAuthorized = true for type in typesToRead { let status = healthStore.authorizationStatus(for: type) if status != .sharingAuthorized { print("Access denied to: \(type.identifier)") isAuthorized = false } } for type in typesToShare { let status = healthStore.authorizationStatus(for: type) if status != .sharingAuthorized { print("Access denied to: \(type.identifier)") isAuthorized = false } } return isAuthorized } However for the appleMoveTime and appleExerciseTime types their status is returning as 'sharingDenied' (checked by printing the status' rawValue) even though they are authorized on the Watch's settings. This happened both on the simulator and on the Watch itself. Am I doing something wrong?
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803
Jan ’25
How to Save Heart Rate in HKCategoryTypeIdentifier.mindfulSession
I’m trying to associate heart rate (HR) data with a mindfulness session (HKCategoryTypeIdentifier.mindfulSession) in HealthKit, but I can’t find any documentation on how to do this. I’ve seen third-party apps (like Medito) successfully log HR within Mindful Minutes, even when the session takes place on an iPhone (not an Apple Watch). However, when I try saving HR in the metadata, it does not appear in the Health app's Mindful Minutes section. Code snippet: func logMindfulnessSession(start: Bool, heartRate: Double? = nil) { let mindfulType = HKCategoryType.categoryType(forIdentifier: .mindfulSession)! let now = Date() let endTime = now.addingTimeInterval(Double(selectedDuration)) var metadata: [String: Any]? = nil if let hr = heartRate { let heartRateUnit = HKUnit.count().unitDivided(by: HKUnit.minute()) let hrQuantity = HKQuantity(unit: heartRateUnit, doubleValue: hr) metadata = ["heartRate": hrQuantity] // ❓ Is there a correct key for HR? } let sample = HKCategorySample( type: mindfulType, value: 0, start: now, end: endTime, metadata: metadata ) healthStore.save(sample) { success, error in if let error = error { print("HealthKit session save error: \(error.localizedDescription)") } else { print("Mindfulness session saved successfully.") if let hr = heartRate { print("Saved with HR: \(hr) BPM") } } } } Questions: What is the correct metadata key for associating heart rate with a mindful session? Does HealthKit require a specific format (e.g., HKQuantitySample) for HR? 0 Are there additional permissions needed to allow HR to appear in Mindful Minutes? Does HR need to be stored separately in HKQuantityTypeIdentifier.heartRate, and if so, how do third-party apps ensure it appears in the same entry as the mindful session? thank you!
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583
Mar ’25
HKAnchoredObjectQuery Stops Receiving Updates
I implemented this to receive updates for specific data types and keep the latest daily information up to date. However, for some reason, it only works for a while before stopping completely. Background Delivery internal func backgroundDeliveryForReadTypes(enable: Bool, types: Set<HKQuantityType>) async { do { if enable { try await statusForAuthorizationRequest(toWrite: [], toRead: types) for type in types { try await healthStore.enableBackgroundDelivery(for: type, frequency: .daily) } } else { for type in types { try await healthStore.disableBackgroundDelivery(for: type) } } } catch { debugPrint("Error enabling background delivery: \(error.localizedDescription)") } } HKQueryAnchor internal var walkingActivityQueryAnchor: HKQueryAnchor? { get { if let anchorData = UserDefaults.standard.data(forKey: "walkingActivityAnchor") { return try? NSKeyedUnarchiver.unarchivedObject(ofClass: HKQueryAnchor.self, from: anchorData) } return nil } set { if let newAnchor = newValue { let anchorData = try? NSKeyedArchiver.archivedData(withRootObject: newAnchor, requiringSecureCoding: true) UserDefaults.standard.set(anchorData, forKey: "walkingActivityAnchor") } else { UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: "walkingActivityAnchor") } } } HKAnchoredObjectQuery internal func observeWalkingActivityInBackground( _ start: Bool, toRead: Set<HKQuantityType>, completion: @escaping @Sendable (Result<WalkingActivityData?, Error>) -> Void ) { if start { guard (walkingActivityQuery == nil) else { return } let predicate = getPredicate(date: Date()) let queryDescriptors = toRead.map { HKQueryDescriptor(sampleType: $0, predicate: predicate) } let handleSamples: @Sendable (HKAnchoredObjectQuery, [HKSample]?, [HKDeletedObject]?, HKQueryAnchor?, Error?) -> Void = { [weak self] _, samples, _, newAnchor, error in guard let self = self else { return } if let error = error { completion(.failure(error)) return } guard let samples = samples, !samples.isEmpty else { completion(.success(nil)) return } Task { self.walkingActivityQueryAnchor = newAnchor let activity = await self.getWalkingActivity(date: Date()) completion(.success(activity)) } } let query = HKAnchoredObjectQuery( queryDescriptors: queryDescriptors, anchor: walkingActivityQueryAnchor, limit: HKObjectQueryNoLimit, resultsHandler: handleSamples ) query.updateHandler = handleSamples healthStore.execute(query) walkingActivityQuery = query } else { if let query = walkingActivityQuery { healthStore.stop(query) walkingActivityQuery = nil } } } WalkingActivityData private func getWalkingActivity(date: Date) async -> WalkingActivityData { async let averageHeartRate = try await self.getAverageHeartRate(date: date) async let steps = try self.getStepCount(date: date) async let durationMinutes = try self.getTotalDurationInMinutes(date: date) async let distanceMeters = try self.getDistanceWalkingRunning(date: date, unit: .meter()) async let activeCalories = try self.getActiveEnergyBurned(date: date) return await WalkingActivityData( date: date, steps: try? steps, activeCalories: try? activeCalories, distanceMeters: try? distanceMeters, durationMinutes: try? durationMinutes, averageHeartRate: try? averageHeartRate ) } Example of getAverageHeartRate func getAverageHeartRate(date: Date) async throws -> Double? { let type = HKQuantityType(.heartRate) _ = try checkAuthorizationStatus(for: type) guard let heartRate = try await getDescriptor( date: date, type: type, options: .discreteAverage ).result(for: healthStore) .statistics(for: date)? .averageQuantity()?.doubleValue(for: HKUnit.count().unitDivided(by: HKUnit.minute())) else { return nil } return Double(String(format: "%.2f", heartRate)) ?? 0.0 } Descriptor & predicate internal func getPredicate(startDate: Date, endDate: Date) -> NSCompoundPredicate { let predicateForSamples = HKQuery.predicateForSamples(withStart: startDate, end: endDate) let excludeManual = NSPredicate(format: "metadata.%K != YES", HKMetadataKeyWasUserEntered) return NSCompoundPredicate(andPredicateWithSubpredicates: [predicateForSamples, excludeManual]) } internal func getDescriptor(startDate: Date, endDate: Date, type: HKQuantityType, options: HKStatisticsOptions) -> HKStatisticsCollectionQueryDescriptor { let calendar = Calendar(identifier: .gregorian) let anchorDate = calendar.date(bySetting: .hour, value: 0, of: startDate)! var interval = DateComponents() interval.day = 1 return HKStatisticsCollectionQueryDescriptor( predicate: HKSamplePredicate.quantitySample(type: type, predicate: getPredicate(startDate: startDate, endDate: endDate)), options: options, anchorDate: anchorDate, intervalComponents: interval ) } Implementation public func observeWalkingActivityInBackground(_ start: Bool, toRead: Set<HKQuantityType>, memberID: String) { observeWalkingActivityInBackground(start, toRead: toRead) { [weak self] result in guard let self = self else { return } } }
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211
Mar ’25
Alternative to MAC Address for Uniqueness in iOS Bluetooth Connection
I am developing a React Native app for a health monitoring device that connects via Bluetooth and streams live data on iOS. To ensure the uniqueness of the device, I initially planned to use the MAC address. However, I discovered that iOS does not provide access to the original MAC address due to privacy restrictions. Is there an alternative approach to uniquely identifying a Bluetooth device in iOS? I need a reliable way to distinguish devices while maintaining secure and stable connections. Any insights or best practices on handling this in iOS would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to hearing your suggestions! If anyone has experience with handling Bluetooth device uniqueness on iOS, please share your insights. Thank you!
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51
Apr ’25
Synchronization Timing Between Apple Watch HealthKit Store and iPhone HealthKit Store
Hi, I’m currently working on an app that utilizes sleep data from HealthKit to provide users with meaningful insights about their sleep. To ensure a smooth user experience, I’d like to understand when sleep data collected by the Apple Watch is saved to the HealthKit store and when it gets synced to the iPhone. Ideally, I want to fetch sleep data right after the user wakes up and opens our app. However, to do this reliably, I need to know the timing of how and when this data becomes available in the iPhone’s HealthKit store. I’ve looked through the official documentation and relevant WWDC sessions but couldn’t find clear information on this topic. If anyone has insights or experience with how and when the Apple Watch syncs HealthKit data—especially sleep records—to the iPhone, I’d greatly appreciate your input. Thanks!
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76
Apr ’25
Detecting Sleep End Events and Sleep Data Sync Timing from Apple Watch to HealthKit on iPhone
Hello, I’m developing an iOS app that works with sleep data from Apple Watch via HealthKit. I would like to clarify the following: How can an iPhone app detect when a sleep session ends on the Apple Watch? When is sleep data typically written to the HealthKit store on iPhone after sleep ends? Is it immediately after wake-up, or does it depend on certain conditions (e.g., watch charging, connectivity)? Understanding the timing and mechanism of sleep data synchronization is crucial for our app to process accurate and timely health information. Thank you for your assistance.
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42
Apr ’25
Real-Time WatchConnectivity Sync Not Working Between iPhone and Apple Watch
Hi everyone, I'm building a health-focused iOS and watchOS app that uses WatchConnectivity to sync real-time heart rate and core body temperature data from iPhone to Apple Watch. While the HealthKit integration works correctly on the iPhone side, I'm facing persistent issues with WatchConnectivity — the data either doesn't arrive on the Watch, or session(_:didReceiveMessage:) never gets triggered. Here's the setup: On iPhone: Using WCSession.default.sendMessage(_:replyHandler:errorHandler:) to send real-time values every few seconds. On Apple Watch: Implemented WCSessionDelegate, and session(_:didReceiveMessage:) is supposed to update the UI. Both apps have WCSession.isSupported() checks, activate the session, and assign delegates correctly. The session state shows isPaired = true and isWatchAppInstalled = true. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on, both devices are unlocked and nearby. Despite all this, the Watch never receives messages in real-time. Sometimes, data comes through in bulk much later or not at all. I've double-checked Info.plist configurations and made sure background modes include "Uses Bluetooth LE accessories" and "Background fetch" where appropriate. I would really appreciate guidance on: Best practices for reliable, low-latency message delivery with WatchConnectivity. Debugging steps or sample code to validate message transmission and reception. Any pitfalls related to UI updates from the delegate method. Happy to share further details. Thanks in advance!
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67
Jun ’25
Apple Watch Data to Server
I was wondering which is the preferred way to send a lot of data from sensors of the apple watch to server. It is preferred to send small chucks to iphone and then to server or directly send bulk data to server from watch. How does it affect battery and resources from watch ? Are there any triggers that I can use to ensure best data stream. I need to send at least once a day. Can I do it in background or do I need the user to have my app in the foreground ? Thank you in advance
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95
Jun ’25
What’s the expected frequency of HealthKit enableBackgroundDelivery: HKCategoryTypeIdentifier.sleepAnalysis
Hello, I have enabled HealthKit background delivery for sleep analysis samples: private func setupSleepDataBackgroundDelivery() { if let sleepType = HKObjectType.categoryType(forIdentifier: HKCategoryTypeIdentifier.sleepAnalysis) { healthStore.enableBackgroundDelivery(for: sleepType, frequency: .immediate) { (success, error) in } } } In general, this function works. But I would love to know what the limitations / expected delivery delay for frequency: .immediate is. The documentation is only very vague about this and specifies that some sample types such as steps are only delivered once per hour. But how about sleep data? Is this expected to be delivered immediately once available on iPhone? Thanks a lot for your help!
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163
Jul ’25
Workout Buddy not available
Has anyone seen the workout buddy options on watch OS yet? I am not able to get it on my watch. My setup is an iPhone 16 and Watch Ultra 1 with the 26 OS I am currently using beta 3. English US language on both and US as region. I am located in Germany though. I restarted both devices multiple times without any changes. Hopefully someone can help.
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60
Jul ’25
HKLiveWorkoutBuilder get wrong calorie data for iOS 26
In iOS 26, HKLiveWorkoutBuilder is supported, which we can use like HKWorkoutSession in watchOS - this is very exciting. However, it currently seems to have a bug in calculating calories. I tested it in my app, and for nearly 6 minutes with an average heart rate of 134, it only calculated 8 calories consumed (80 calories per hour), including basal consumption, which is obviously incorrect. (I used Powerboats Pro 2 connected to my phone, which includes heart rate data, and HKLiveWorkoutBuilder correctly collected the heart rate, which is great.) I think my code is correct. func workoutBuilder(_ workoutBuilder: HKLiveWorkoutBuilder, didCollectDataOf collectedTypes: Set<HKSampleType>) { for type in collectedTypes { guard let quantityType = type as? HKQuantityType else { return // Nothing to do. } let statistics = workoutBuilder.statistics(for: quantityType) if let statistics = statistics { switch statistics.quantityType { case HKQuantityType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .heartRate): /// - Tag: SetLabel let heartRateUnit = HKUnit.count().unitDivided(by: HKUnit.minute()) let value = statistics.mostRecentQuantity()?.doubleValue(for: heartRateUnit) let roundedValue = Double( round( 1 * value! ) / 1 ) if let avg = statistics.averageQuantity()?.doubleValue(for: heartRateUnit) { self.avgHeartRate = avg } self.delegate?.didUpdateHeartBeat(self, heartBeat: Int(roundedValue)) case HKQuantityType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .activeEnergyBurned): let energyUnit = HKUnit.kilocalorie() let value = statistics.sumQuantity()?.doubleValue(for: energyUnit) self.totalActiveEnergyBurned = Double(value!) print("didUpdate totalActiveEnergyBurned: \(self.totalActiveEnergyBurned)") self.delegate?.didUpdateEnergyBurned(self, totalEnergy: self.totalActiveEnergyBurned + self.totalBasalEneryBurned) return case HKQuantityType.quantityType(forIdentifier: .basalEnergyBurned): let energyUnit = HKUnit.kilocalorie() let value = statistics.sumQuantity()?.doubleValue(for: energyUnit) self.totalBasalEneryBurned = Double(value!) print("didUpdate totalBasalEneryBurned: \(self.totalBasalEneryBurned)") self.delegate?.didUpdateEnergyBurned(self, totalEnergy: self.totalActiveEnergyBurned + self.totalBasalEneryBurned) return default: print("unhandled quantityType=\(statistics.quantityType) when processing statistics") return } } I think I've found the source of the problem: let workoutConfiguration = HKWorkoutConfiguration() workoutConfiguration.activityType = .traditionalStrengthTraining //walking, running is ok workoutConfiguration.locationType = .outdoor When I set the activityType to walking or running, the calorie results are correct, showing several hundred calories per hour. However, when activityType is set to traditionalStrengthTraining or jumprope, the calculations are incorrect. PS: I'm currently using Xcode 26 beta3 and iOS 26 beta3. Hope this issue can be resolved. Thanks.
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95
Jul ’25
Best Practices for Continuous Background Biometric Monitoring on Apple Watch
Hello, everyone! I'm seeking some guidance on the App Store review process and technical best practices for a watchOS app. My goal is to create an app that uses HealthKit to continuously monitor a user's heart rate in the background for sessions lasting between 30 minutes and 3 hours. This app would not be a fitness or workout tracker. My primary question is about the best way to achieve this reliably while staying within the App Store Review Guidelines. Is it advisable to use the WorkoutKit framework to start a custom, non-fitness "session" for the purpose of continuous background monitoring? Are there any other recommended APIs or frameworks for this kind of background data collection on watchOS that I should be aware of? What are the key review considerations I should be mindful of, particularly regarding Guideline 4.1 (Design) and the intended use of APIs? My app's core functionality would require this kind of data for a beneficial purpose. I want to ensure my approach is technically sound and has the best chance of a successful review. Any insights or advice from developers who have experience with similar use cases would be incredibly helpful! Thank you!
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247
3w
HealthKit bugs related to new workout effort score - heart rate samples take forever to fetch, Health app displays invalid data
I am encountering issues on my device running iOS 18 that fetching heart rate samples associated to a given workout is very slow. Like 10+ seconds slow. This is unacceptable and unexpected. In producing a video to attach to a feedback, I also observed that Apple Health app displays incorrect information if a workout effort score is associated to a workout. In this image, you can see the Health app bug: Total Resting Energy != Estimated Workout Effort Score Here is the same workout after I delete the workout effort score using the Apple Health app: Can anyone else see if attempting to view 'heart rate' data within the workout summary in Apple Health is unbearably slow if that workout also has an effort score associated? My steps: Record workout (Apple Activity app on watchOS) Associate effort score View the workout on Apple Health (iOS) Attempt to view it's heart rate samples Observe very slow loading times Observe the incorrect cell label and value and disappearance of resting energy cell data Remove/disassociate the effort score from the workout by tapping the workout effort row, and swipe to delete the value. Navigate back, navigate back, and then go into the workout detail again At this time the UI fixes itself, but the loading of heart rate data is still super slow FB15269657 - HealthKit: Sample query to fetch heart rate samples associated to a workout is taking over 10 seconds - computing 'time in heart rate zone' FB15278790 - Health: Workout summary 'Total Resting Energy' label has value of 'Estimated Workout Effort Score' for a value, pushed view shows empty
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634
Sep ’24
visionOS App Not Receiving Latest Heart Rate Data from HealthKit
Hello everyone, I'm developing an app for visionOS that utilizes HealthKit to query heart rate data. However, I'm encountering an issue where the app doesn't retrieve the latest heart rate values. Specifically, it fails to get live heart rate data even after the data has been saved to the Health app. The readings my app displays are outdated and do not match the current values shown in the Health app. Here's what I've tried so far: Fetching Heart Rate Samples: Used HKSampleQuery and HKAnchoredObjectQuery to fetch the most recent heart rate samples. Despite this, the data retrieved is still not up-to-date. Checking Permissions: Ensured that all necessary HealthKit permissions are granted. The app has authorization to read heart rate data and write workout data. My questions are: Is there a known issue or limitation with HealthKit on visionOS that prevents apps from accessing the latest heart rate data? Are there additional steps or configurations required to access live heart rate data in visionOS apps? Has anyone successfully implemented live heart rate monitoring on visionOS, and if so, could you share how you achieved it?
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457
Sep ’24
Missing manual - Training Load, .estimatedWorkoutEffortScore, .workoutEffortScore - Where are the Apple RPE CR-10 scale docs?
Apple is using the RPE scale for workout effort scores. This stands for the Rate of Perceived Exertion. They're specifically using the CR-10 scale, at least from what I can tell by saving values to HealthKit. They only accept value between 0 and 10. Has anyone been able to find a scientific or academic paper on how they have chosen their different effort breakouts? Right from the Fitness app on iPhone and Activity app on Apple Watch: 1-3 Easy 4-6 Moderate 7-8 Hard 9-10 All Out There is zero documentation on these new types, which makes it difficult for workout recording apps to properly and appropriately save this new data type. Sure, we can use the Apple apps as a reference, but since there isn't a built-in Apple SwiftUI sheet to present this data, and no references to academia to point our users to, our solutions would just look the same. FB15315876 - Documentation / HealthKit: Publish documentation about .workoutEffortScore and .estimatedWorkoutEffortScore FB15316109 - Documentation / HealthKit: Add documentation to .estimatedWorkoutEffortScore and .workoutEffortScore that you can't save those samples via the save API and that they must be related and let that API save the sample FB15316251 - Documentation / HealthKit: Add documentation for acceptible values of .estimatedWorkoutEffortScore and .workoutEffortScore - don't rely on a runtime error! Apple missed making an enum for all third party developers this year.
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653
Oct ’24