HPB partners Fitbit to encourage Sporeans to adopt healt

[Jman888]

who going to sign up?

 

HPB partners Fitbit to encourage Singaporeans to adopt healthier habits

By Kevin Kwang, CNA

21 Aug 2019 09:00PM (Updated: 21 Aug 2019 09:10PM)

 

The Live Healthy SG initiative allows people to sign up for a year-long Fitbit Premium service for S$120 prompting them towards better habits like sleep, nutrition and emotional wellbeing.

 

SINGAPORE: US fitness wearables company Fitbit is partnering the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in a new initiative to encourage Singaporeans towards better habits in physical activity, sleep, nutrition and emotional wellbeing, the company announced on Wednesday (Aug 21).

 

Named Live Healthy SG, the initiative will allow Singaporeans to sign up for a year-long subscription to Fitbit Premium at S$10 a month, or S$120 in total. In return, the company is giving participants an Inspire HR health tracker worth S$158 free.

 

Fitbit Premium offers users a digital coach that will guide them with video workouts and audio coaching, the company’s website stated.

 

The joint collaboration is part of a healthy population project that uses technology, behavioural insights and analytics to nudge Singaporeans to get healthier through meaningful and sustained behaviour change, the press release said.

 

HPB is aligning this initiative with others, such as the National Steps Challenge and the Healthy 365 app, to drive increased participation and engagement among people here.

 

Users will be able to link their Fitbit activity to health challenges on the Healthy 365 app, which then allows them to win prizes or earn points and redeem awards, the company said.

 

HPB CEO Zee Yoong Kang said in the release that the agency is working with industry players like Fitbit to use tech to provide Singaporeans with the tools to take control of their own health.

 

For instance, those who sign up for Fitbit’s service will have the option of sharing their data with the agency. Such data will, in turn, provide insights and contribute to more effective and targeted health intervention and promotional programmes that will benefit Singaporeans.

 

“Participants of this program will benefit from Fitbit’s plans to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to encourage physical activity, healthy eating and better sleep quality. The insights gathered can also help to enrich HPB’s health promotion programs,” said Mr Zee.

 

Mr Steve Morley, vice president at Fitbit Asia-Pacific, told CNA that data sharing with HPB is strictly voluntary via its app and any data shared is “aggregated or de-identified”. This means any and all personal identifiers are removed before sharing is done, he added.

 

“Fitbit has always been committed to protecting consumer privacy, putting users in control of their personal data, and keeping data safe. We prioritise transparency and clarity in our privacy policies so people understand what is happening to the data they share with us,” Mr Morley added.

 

All interested Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents will be able to pre-register starting mid-September and the programme will officially kick off in late October this year, Fitbit said.

 

 

 

 

[Sosaria]

Fitbit is quite an "atas" fitness tracker, wonder if it is wise to partner with these commercial entities? The plan is not cheap either, for something which essentially gets people to start exercising, i.e. starter/beginner/get off the couch level. And does the data goes to the commercial entity too?

 

To get people started, the prime motivator is group/herd mentality, to put it crudely. It's better to join a group, then there's motivation to workout and keep going.

 

After beginning the fitness journey and seeing results, it's easier to be self-motivated and keep to a routine.
 

[Lala81]

Fitbit is quite an "atas" fitness tracker, wonder if it is wise to partner with these commercial entities? The plan is not cheap either, for something which essentially gets people to start exercising, i.e. starter/beginner/get off the couch level. And does the data goes to the commercial entity too?

 

To get people started, the prime motivator is group/herd mentality, to put it crudely. It's better to join a group, then there's motivation to workout and keep going.

 

After beginning the fitness journey and seeing results, it's easier to be self-motivated and keep to a routine.

 

 

Yes.

I think the National Steps challenge got off to a good start, so now more new ideas to keep things going haha.

And maybe queuing for the cheaper one not so nice. But maybe more youngsters, aunties, uncles don't mind buying a fitbit and also getting on this.

Given the cost, more likely to appeal to working adults.

[Mustank]

Make everyone ride bicycle to work

[Ender]

Yes.

I think the National Steps challenge got off to a good start, so now more new ideas to keep things going haha.

And maybe queuing for the cheaper one not so nice. But maybe more youngsters, aunties, uncles don't mind buying a fitbit and also getting on this.

Given the cost, more likely to appeal to working adults.

National step was a success becoz mainly of the rewards and a free tracker.

 

Hard to get these group to carry on with the health programme if they have to come out $120. The tracker is meaningless to them unless HPB figures a away to translate those data collected by the tracker to some kind of reward scheme.

[Lala81]

National step was a success becoz mainly of the rewards and a free tracker.

 

Hard to get these group to carry on with the health programme if they have to come out $120. The tracker is meaningless to them unless HPB figures a away to translate those data collected by the tracker to some kind of reward scheme.

 

yeah, this may target another group. The younger working adult. Those 20-30s.

[Enye]

cna reporter no good.... cnbc one better

 

1 million sign ups = 120 million recurring revenue a year for keeping data

 

its all about the $$ and share price

 

 

 

 

Fitbit wins contract with Singapore to supply trackers to potentially hundreds of thousands of citizens

 

 

Christina Farr

18 hrs ago

 

 

Fitbit announced a deal on Wednesday with the government of Singapore to provide hundreds of thousands of consumers there with fitness trackers as the country aims to make its population healthier.

Fitbit told CNBC that starting next month, residents of Singapore can register for the Fitbit Inspire, which the company launched earlier this year specifically for employers and health plans. Customers won't pay anything for the device, but will commit to spending $10 a month for a year of premium service, which includes guidance and one-on-one coaching.

 

 

 

While Fitbit grew rapidly in the hardware market in its early days, the company's stock price has plunged more than 50% in the past year as competition has eaten into its core business. Apple has a commanding lead in the global smartwatch market and has a far bigger app ecosystem it can offer to customers, who are already using the iPhone.

Fitbit CEO James Park is trying to push the company into software and services, where there's recurring revenue and fatter margins. The company declined to provide specific details about how much the Singapore deal is worth, but said that it's material to its 2019 revenues for the health solutions business, which it previously said was on track to hit $100 million. A spokesperson noted that the agreement represents more than 5% of the health solutions unit.

Singapore, with a population of about 5.6 million, has a program in place to use technology "to encourage Singaporeans to adopt healthy living and affect behavior change," said Zee Young Kang, CEO of the country's Health Promotion Board, in a statement.

"We intend to work with industry innovators, such as Fitbit, on additional efforts to use technology to provide Singaporeans with personalized health advice and nudges, so that they can take control of their own health," he said.

Like many other countries, Singapore has rising rates of diabetes and heart disease, and is looking for ways to reduce health costs by encouraging its citizens to eat healthier and exercise more regularly. The initiative with Fitbit is called Live Healthy SG.

Park told CNBC that the negotiations were "highly competitive" and that Apple was among those vying for the bid. While the Fitbit Inspire sells for well under $100, the cheapest Apple Watch starts at about three times that amount. An Apple spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment.

 

"We think this program could reach up to one million people," said Park, indicating he sees it possibly getting to almost 20% of the population. It's an indication "hopefully to investors and other potential customers that the transformation that we've talked about in our business model is becoming real," he said.

 

 

[Sosaria]

yeah, this may target another group. The younger working adult. Those 20-30s.

 

This group, for those into fitness, likely to splash out on more expensive capable fitness smart watch already, from Garmin or Apple or whatever atas brands that cost more than $120

[Fitvip]

I have been wearing the HPB given Careeach HR tracker for some months. It went haywire after some time. Eventually it stopped tracking steps. So, I just leave it aside. 

With or without a tracker, I do the same routine everyday. So, I can't find a good reason to pay for a tracker!

 

cna reporter no good.... cnbc one better

 

1 million sign ups = 120 million recurring revenue a year for keeping data

 

its all about the $$ and share price

 

 

 

 

Fitbit wins contract with Singapore to supply trackers to potentially hundreds of thousands of citizens

 

 

Christina Farr

18 hrs ago

 

 

Fitbit announced a deal on Wednesday with the government of Singapore to provide hundreds of thousands of consumers there with fitness trackers as the country aims to make its population healthier.

Fitbit told CNBC that starting next month, residents of Singapore can register for the Fitbit Inspire, which the company launched earlier this year specifically for employers and health plans. Customers won't pay anything for the device, but will commit to spending $10 a month for a year of premium service, which includes guidance and one-on-one coaching.

 

 

 

While Fitbit grew rapidly in the hardware market in its early days, the company's stock price has plunged more than 50% in the past year as competition has eaten into its core business. Apple has a commanding lead in the global smartwatch market and has a far bigger app ecosystem it can offer to customers, who are already using the iPhone.

Fitbit CEO James Park is trying to push the company into software and services, where there's recurring revenue and fatter margins. The company declined to provide specific details about how much the Singapore deal is worth, but said that it's material to its 2019 revenues for the health solutions business, which it previously said was on track to hit $100 million. A spokesperson noted that the agreement represents more than 5% of the health solutions unit.

Singapore, with a population of about 5.6 million, has a program in place to use technology "to encourage Singaporeans to adopt healthy living and affect behavior change," said Zee Young Kang, CEO of the country's Health Promotion Board, in a statement.

"We intend to work with industry innovators, such as Fitbit, on additional efforts to use technology to provide Singaporeans with personalized health advice and nudges, so that they can take control of their own health," he said.

Like many other countries, Singapore has rising rates of diabetes and heart disease, and is looking for ways to reduce health costs by encouraging its citizens to eat healthier and exercise more regularly. The initiative with Fitbit is called Live Healthy SG.

Park told CNBC that the negotiations were "highly competitive" and that Apple was among those vying for the bid. While the Fitbit Inspire sells for well under $100, the cheapest Apple Watch starts at about three times that amount. An Apple spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment.

 

"We think this program could reach up to one million people," said Park, indicating he sees it possibly getting to almost 20% of the population. It's an indication "hopefully to investors and other potential customers that the transformation that we've talked about in our business model is becoming real," he said.

 

I will ask them to keep the trackers!

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Make everyone ride bicycle to work

 

How about bringing workplaces (factories, Offices, ..... etc.) nearer to our hdb so that we do not have to wake up early and can walk to office. 

 

Free up JTC factories to build more flats. Workers who work within 1 km of their workplace will get a higher CPF ...

 

 

 

 

Ha...ha...ha.... sweet dreams ..   and it will never happen ...

[inlinesix]

This group, for those into fitness, likely to splash out on more expensive capable fitness smart watch already, from Garmin or Apple or whatever atas brands that cost more than $120

 

I bought a $120 Fitbit tracker to keep track of resting pulse.

[Mustank]

How about bringing workplaces (factories, Offices, ..... etc.) nearer to our hdb so that we do not have to wake up early and can walk to office.

 

Free up JTC factories to build more flats. Workers who work within 1 km of their workplace will get a higher CPF ...

 

 

 

 

Ha...ha...ha.... sweet dreams .. and it will never happen ...

工少钱多，离家近

睡觉睡到，自然性

[Lala81]

工少钱多，离家近

睡觉睡到，自然性

 

... 

[Ichibawa]

I see a lot of aunties and uncles shaking their fitness tracker to meet the daily quota so that they can claim the prize. 

 

The previous pedometer I got from HPB is useless. Spoil in less than 2 months. I use my own tracker to see how well I sleep. 

[Mustank]

Getting the fitness tracker to shake nao!!!!

[Ender]

This old model garmin is more value. Got GPS and Heart rate.

[macrosszero]

I'm not giving my detailed health data to the government 

[Ysc3]

Fitbit clarifies that it, not Government, is giving away health trackers after inaccurate reports

 

SINGAPORE - Wearables brand Fitbit has clarified that it, rather than the Singapore Government, will be giving away up to a million health trackers after details of its partnership with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) were reported incorrectly by several media outlets.

 

In a statement issued on Friday (Aug 23), the United States-based company confirmed that it has set up a partnership with the HPB to take part in the Live Healthy SG programme, which was announced on Wednesday.

 

The partnership ties in with Fitbit's targeted giveaway of one million health trackers - although some media outlets took this to mean that the HPB would be giving them away.

 

The government agency's actual involvement is that it can access fitness data through the programme - as long as users consent to it - to provide insights and contribute to more effective health promotion programmes for Singapore.

 

Singaporeans must sign up for a year-long subscription to Fitbit's digital coach service Fitbit Premium in order to receive the free gadget, which normally sells for $158.

 

Fitbit's statement said: "In Fitbit's collaboration with the Singapore Health Promotion Board on a new population-based health initiative, Live Healthy SG, Fitbit will be the ones providing free Inspire HR trackers to participants who commit to a 12-month subscription to our Fitbit Premium service."

 

It added: "Reports that suggest that Fitbit had won the contract because one million Singaporeans would be participating in the programme are also inaccurate. The one million participation number is a Fitbit target, following the award of the contract to us, and it refers to Fitbit's planned reach of our Live Healthy SG programme."

 

Fitbit Premium, which guides users through audio coaching and video workout clips, costs $10 a month, or $120 for a 12-month subscription.

 

Singaporeans will be able to register for the programme from the middle of the next month, while Live Healthy SG will go live in late October.