Google's health data platform continues to expand its ecosystem, bringing more wearable devices and fitness apps into its interconnected health tracking network. The tech giant recently announced significant updates to Health Connect, its central hub for health and fitness data sharing across Android devices and applications.
Health Connect Expands to New Partners
During Google's Developer stream at I/O 2025, the company revealed that Health Connect will soon support Garmin devices, along with Runna and Mi Fitness apps. This expansion, scheduled to roll out in June, marks a significant step in Google's efforts to create a more comprehensive health data ecosystem. The addition of Garmin is particularly noteworthy, as it brings one of the leading premium fitness wearable brands into Google's health data platform, allowing users of devices like the Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 smartwatches to benefit from improved data integration across their apps.
New Health Connect Partners (June 2025)
- Garmin
- Runna
- Mi Fitness
- Flo (also mentioned)
Growing User Base and Platform Adoption
Google highlighted impressive growth statistics for Health Connect during the announcement. According to the company, the platform has seen a 50% increase in Active User Growth over the past six months, suggesting that users are increasingly adopting the service to consolidate their health data across multiple applications. This growth indicates that Google's strategy of creating an open health data platform is resonating with both users and developers.
Health Connect Growth
- 50% increase in Active User Growth over past six months
New Medical Records API
Beyond the new partner integrations, Google also announced a new Medical Records API coming to Health Connect. This feature will allow users to consolidate more comprehensive health data, including allergies and immunizations. The API will enable users to read and write medical information, creating what Google describes as richer experiences with better everyday medical context. This development could significantly enhance how health apps utilize personal medical information to provide more tailored recommendations and insights.
Benefits for Garmin Users
For Garmin users specifically, Health Connect support will enhance the functionality of their devices, including the recently launched Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 smartwatches. These premium wearables, released in August 2024, feature AMOLED displays and impressive battery life—up to 90 days on a single charge for the Enduro 3 and 29 days for the 47mm Fenix 8 Solar. With Health Connect integration, users will be able to share their comprehensive fitness and health data across a wider ecosystem of apps while maintaining privacy controls over what information is shared.
Garmin Device Specifications
- Fenix 8 Solar (47mm): Up to 29 days battery life
- Enduro 3: Up to 90 days battery life on a single charge
- Both feature AMOLED displays
Google's Broader Health Strategy
This expansion aligns with Google's broader health initiatives. The company's medical team has been working to improve the effectiveness of wearable health tracking, with particular focus on cardiovascular health and sleep monitoring. By incorporating more data sources into Health Connect, including Fitbit and Samsung Health, Google aims to feed its machine learning algorithms with more comprehensive data sets, potentially leading to more accurate health insights without waiting for new hardware capabilities in smartwatches.
Privacy Controls Remain Central
As Health Connect expands to include more partners and data types, Google continues to emphasize privacy controls as a central feature of the platform. Users will maintain the ability to choose exactly what health data is shared between apps, ensuring personal health information remains protected according to individual preferences.
Timeline for Implementation
The new integrations with Garmin, Runna, and Mi Fitness are set to begin next month, while the Medical Records API and other developer features will likely roll out gradually as app developers implement support for these new capabilities. As with most I/O announcements, these features will require app updates before users can take advantage of them.