Runkeeper

Runkeeper
Developer(s) FitnessKeeper
Initial release 2008 (2008)
Stable release
4.3.1[1]
Operating system Android, iOS
Size Varies with device
Available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Brazilian, Portuguese, Japanese and Russian[2]
Type Fitness
License Proprietary
Website runkeeper.com

Runkeeper is a GPS fitness-tracking app for iOS and Android with over 50 million users.[3] It was launched in 2008 by CEO Jason Jacobs with the help of "moonlighting engineers"[4] and Raizlabs.[5] In late 2011, Runkeeper secured $10 million in a Series B financing, led by Spark Capital.[6] In February 2016, Runkeeper was acquired by ASICS.

Functions

Runkeeper allows users to track fitness activities (such as walking, running and cycling) using GPS[7] and allows users see detailed statistics around their pace, distance, and time. Runkeeper tracks statistics, progress, and applies coaching, with built-in audio cues. Users can listen and control music while working out, measure their heart rate, and take pictures while engaged in an activity.[1]

The application tracks performance over time, allowing users to view a detailed history of activities, get notifications for new personal "bests" and milestones, measure progress against current goals, follow detailed plans, and turn any activity into a route to do again later using built-in GPS.[1] Runkeeper allows users to share their personal content with friends through posting to Facebook and Twitter, and allows supporters watch live maps of workouts and races as users run.[1] The application has released an open API for outside developers to plug into Runkeeper users’ feeds.[8]

Runkeeper periodically comes up with 'challenges' which rewards the user for completing certain criteria in a certain time-frame.[9] The first challenge was in May 2014 with the goal of completing and GPS tracking a 5 kilometers between May 19 and June 19 to be entered in winning an LG Lifeband.[10]

Criticism and controversy

In May 2016, the Runkeeper software came to the attention of the Norwegian Consumer Council for breaching European data protection laws. It is alleged to continue tracking user's locations after the application is terminated and to share this information with advertisers in ways that exceed the bounds of the application's terms and conditions.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Runkeeper - GPS Track Running Walking Cycling on the App Store on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  2. ↑ Paul Sawers (2013-03-27). "RunKeeper moves beyond English with 6 new languages, including French, Spanish and Japanese". thenextweb. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  3. ↑ "The Technology That Created a New Generation of Runners". Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  4. ↑ "RunKeeper: Product and app development by Raizlabs". Raizlabs. 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  5. ↑ "RunKeeper - App Developer". Raizlabs. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
  6. ↑ "(Founder Stories) Runkeeper: Striving To Becoming The Facebook For Health". Techcrunch. 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  7. ↑ Shannon Powell Hart (2012-12-04). "Best free apps - kvue.com Austin". kvue.com Austin. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  8. ↑ Erik Malinowski (2011-06-07). "How RunKeeper Could Become the Facebook of Fitness". wired.com. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  9. ↑ "Runkeeper Challenges - Runkeeper".
  10. ↑ "LG Lifeband 5K Challenge - Runkeeper".
  11. ↑ Carlon, Kris (13 May 2016). "Runkeeper is secretly tracking you around the clock and sending your data to advertisers". Android Authority. Android Authority. Retrieved 14 May 2016. The NCC's investigation into Runkeeper discovered that user location data is tracked around the clock and gets transmitted to a third party advertiser in the U.S. called Kiip.me.
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