Google has announced a partnership with Flo Health, the menstrual health tracking app, to bring more comprehensive menstrual health data into the Google Health app. The company says the partnership will also shape future products, with the aim of building wellness hardware around these insights.
Google has not revealed much about its hardware plans. It said such devices would combine "a deep integration of Flo's women's health insights and algorithms with our expertise in wearable hardware and advanced sensors." The first visible result will come early next year, when Flo users can sync their cycle data with the Google Health app.
The integration will be opt-in. Google says no data will move between the apps without explicit permission, granted separately for each type of data and purpose, and users can withdraw that permission at any time. The company also says Flo data will not be used for advertising, and will not be sold or shared with other apps or developers. For those who opt in, cycle data will appear alongside other health metrics in Google's app. Subscribers to Google Health Premium will also see Flo data reflected in the Google Health Coach, which can offer more personalized guidance.
Google describes the partnership as long-term and says it includes plans to launch research initiatives into underserved areas of menstrual health. The company argues that linking sleep, readiness, activity and recovery data gives a clearer picture of overall health across the different phases of the menstrual cycle and across life stages.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing