Consumer

San Francisco-based direct-to-consumer remote dermatology care service Spruce has raised $15 million from Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers, Google Ventures, Baseline Ventures, and Cowboy Ventures.

San Francisco-based Fitbit acquired fitness coaching app developer, FitStar, for at least $17.

Redwood, California-based health app maker Hello Heart has raised $1.

The global revenues for smartphone-connected fitness tracking devices and equipment will grow from $2 billion in 2014 to $5.

Microsoft has updated the Xbox One console's fitness app, called Xbox Fitness, to sync with Microsoft Health, the cloud-based health integration platform that Microsoft launched with the Microsoft Band.

Juniper Research predicts that connected healthcare and fitness device services will produce $1.

San Francisco-based FirstLine Medical has launched its doctor consultation service, called FirstLine, available via iPhone app.

Fitbit Surge smartwatch Fitbit has added two new features, bike tracking and multi-tracker support, to its most advanced wristworn activity tracker, the Fitbit Surge.

Japanese medical device company Omron Healthcare, which has been marketing digital thermometers and blood pressure monitors for over 50 years, just launched its first smartphone-connected activity tracker, along with a new app that tracks fitness data and integrates with Apple Health.

Fitness wearables are big these days.