Apple swallows Aussie start-up company’s name — HealthKit — and their world-embracing idea

WHEN you’re the world’s biggest tech giant, you don’t let something as little as an existing Aussie start-up spoil your product launch.

WHEN you’re as big as Apple, you’re not going to let something as little as a name spoil your product-launch.

It seems their headline product HealthKit already exists — in Australia.

The Aussie version doesn’t just share the same name, it does much the same thing.

Apple’s HealthKit is a tool touted to revolutionise mobile devices by encouraging developers to produce a new generation of health-targeted apps.

So’s the Aussie HealthKit.

It’s goal: To bring together practitioners, patients and people everywhere to make health efficient, effective and accessible all over the world. And then there’s the tracking your health bit.

It was founded by Melbourne’s Alison Hardacre, a former Young Australian of the Year, and ex-ANZ man Lachlan Wheeler.

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Their reactions to Apple’s move were recorded in HealthKit’s blog. It’s not clear which member of the team is writing, but it’s pretty personal:

“I woke up at 4:30am and turned to my Apple iPhone to check my emails,” the HealthKit executive wrote.

HealthKit ... the original. The Australian start-up aims to improve access to health services and track personal health.

HealthKit ... the copy. Apple seems to be a late adopter of a concept (and name) originating out of Australia

“Someone had emailed me to ask whether Apple stomped all over your name or did we do a secret deal with them. Huh?!”

Apple is yet to respond to HealthKit (the original) queries about the use of their trademark.

“As an Apple fan, I feel let down. … Are they so big that they are above doing an ordinary Google search?”

But on one level the unnamed HealthKit writer feels vindicated:

“Apple liked our HealthKit idea so much that they have used our name and launched a new product called HealthKit.”

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

It just doesn’t pay the bills.

So far it seems the little Aussie battler isn’t going to roll over without a fight.

“Let us know what you think at @healthkit (yes, it’s our Twitter handle), or you can tell Apple’s CEO exactly how you feel about this on his Twitter handle, @tim_cook”, their website calls.

Originally published as Apple swallows Aussie start-up company’s name — HealthKit — and their world-embracing idea