Microsoft Band adds MapMyFitness & HealthVault support, but still no Apple HealthKit

The wearable fitness tracking Microsoft Band received an update this week adding support for biking, and integration with MapMyFitness and Microsoft's own HealthVault service, but it still lacks compatibility with Apple's HealthKit tools and Health app for iOS 8.

In addition to support for HealthVault and MapMyFitness, Microsoft has also launched a Microsoft Band SDK Developer Preview for third-party developers. Microsoft said this week's update is the first in a series devoted to its health-focused platform and hardware.

An update to the Band itself also adds a new "Bike Tile" to the wrist-worn device. With it, users can track their bike rides both indoors and out, utilizing the hardware's heart rate monitor, GPS, elevation tracking capabilities and more.

Microsoft also added five new indoor biking workouts to its Guided Workouts, and a new Quick Read option gives users the ability to scan texts, emails and other notifications sent to their iPhone.

Also new this week is the Microsoft Health Web dashboard, which allows users to access their data from a Web browser.

When the Band launched last fall, Microsoft said it planned to integrate with Apple's HealthKit tools introduced in iOS 8. AppleInsider asked the company this week when customers might be able to expect support for Apple Health, and a Microsoft representative provided the following response:

"We know consumers want to find ways of marrying data from their favorite applications, services and devices to develop insights based on a holistic view of their fitness and work habits. Today's update for Microsoft Health & Microsoft Band includes integration with MapMyFitness and Microsoft HealthVault. We look forward to sharing details of new partnerships and integration with additional applications, services and devices in the future."

Priced at $199, the Microsoft Band is less full-featured than the forthcoming Apple Watch, focusing instead on health and fitness tracking without the built-in storage necessary for complex third-party applications. AppleInsider reviewed the Band last year and found it to be a decent fitness-focused product, the highlight of which was its built-in GPS capabilities, allowing iPhone users to track a run or bike ride without bringing their handset.