The iWatch could be a far more advanced health tracker than previously thought.
We’ve been hearing that Apple was developing a health tracking app, dubbed Healthbook, and making health a big focus of its rumored iWatch for months now. But new details on Healthbook published this morning by 9to5Mac give us a much clearer idea of what Apple’s smartwatch could actually offer.
In addition to tracking your steps and food intake, Healthbook reportedly can measure more complicated things like your blood oxygen saturation, breathing rate, and hydration. The M7 processor in the iPhone 5S can track your steps, but there aren’t yet any integrated health tracking devices that can track those more advanced things.
Healthbook, which is expected to launch with iOS 8 later this year, will likely serve as a single place to track all of the data from your fitness gadgets. It wouldn’t be that difficult for companies like Jawbone and Fitbit to share the data from their gadgets and fitness apps with Healthbook, for example. But many people, especially athletes and fitness junkies, would be eager to have access to more advanced data.
Apple has been hiring health and fitness experts over the past year, so it’s clear the company is aiming to make a concerted effort in health technology.
HealthBeat — VentureBeat’s breakthrough health tech event — is returning on Oct 27-28 in San Francisco. This year’s theme is “The connected age: Integrating data, big & small.” We’re putting long-established giants of the health care world on stage with CEOs of the nation's most disruptive health tech companies to share insights, analyze trends, and showcase breakthrough products. Purchase one of the first 50 tickets and save $400!
Apple designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. Apple software includes t... read more »