Apple is doing the right thing having changed its privacy policy to explicitly ban HealthKit app developers from selling health data to third parties. The change won’t affect developers’ ability to make cool apps; it will just forbid them to collect that data and make money out of it. Or even give it away for free.

The announcement comes only days before the new iPhones, and perhaps even the iWatch, are announced. HealthKit is expected to have a major role in the iOS 8 which will debut with the iPhone 6. The health data aggregation platform will be accessible to users through a dedicated Health app, though other companies will be able to tune into the system as well, and build apps with new features.

Meanwhile, the market for consumer health data is booming in the U.S. with one data broker, IMS Health, saying it aggregates information from 100,000 companies, some of which make apps.

According to health data privacy advocates like Dr. Deborah C. Peel, this is a huge win for consumers. “That’s what we’re seeking from all of the 100,000 of the companies that are now selling health data,” he said.

[Via: VentureBeat]