Healthcare will be Apple’s greatest contribution to humanity. – Tim Cook, CEO, Apple Inc.
Apple made its entry into the healthcare space by launching Health App and HealthKit API in late 2015, and the rest is history. In the last half-decade, Apple has never ceased making bold moves in the ever-growing healthcare sector. Though it is difficult to decipher Apple’s strategy, let us look at how the company is engaged in the healthcare space.
When it comes to Healthcare, Apple has three focus areas:
- Hardware devices like the Apple watch, etc.
- Softwares like the Health App, ResearchKit etc.
- Services like Fitness+, etc.
Hardware
Apple watch
Along with activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, fall detection, the Apple Watch can now detect heart rhythm irregularities (with its ECG feature) and blood oxygen levels.
The highest selling smartwatch, the Apple Watch, is constantly upgraded close to being a medical device. With the ECG feature getting FDA clearance, it has plans to add features like a blood glucose monitor. These shed light on Apple’s plans to provide remote patient monitoring and other healthcare services.
Airpods
Apple is actively researching the ways it can incorporate audio health monitoring and services using its AirPods. Currently, it has features that notify users when noise is above the required decibel and can harm human ears. But, a lot more can be expected in the future.
Apple is on the move to make its hardware products creep closer to medical devices where users can monitor their health using their pocket devices.
Software
Health App
Apple’s Health App is a one-stop for its users to access all their health data. The app streamlines users’ health data from different apple devices and apps and displays it in one place. In the US, users can integrate the health data from the Health app directly into EMRs. And can also share specific records with specific people.
HealthKit API
HealthKit is a Software Development Kit provided by Apple for developers to build Healthcare apps for iOS. HealthKit APIs make it possible to access all health data under Apple’s Health App. It allows data sharing among apps providing an integrated user experience.
With the user’s permission, these apps can access their health information to bring powerful health and fitness solutions.
ResearchKit
ResearchKit is an open-source framework that research organizations can utilize to build apps. It helps researchers to enroll participants and conduct clinical studies with ease.
Rather than relying on participants to manually enter data, the researchers can collect more accurate data with Apple devices logging data on automation. ResearchKit enables remote participant monitoring and streamlines data analysis.
CareKit
Similar to ResearchKit, CareKit is an open-source software to develop personal care apps. With the help of CareKit apps, users can manage their health actively. They can also share the health data across with doctors and care teams.
Services
Fitness+
Fitness+ is an Apple watch-focused subscription service offered by Apple. It consists of various workout programs that guide Apple watch owners to stay fit. Users can access the Fitness+ workouts from iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and also Mac.
Apple Clinics
Apple has hired doctors and is providing virtual and in-person healthcare to its employees at Apple clinic. A secret HealthHabit app is built for the employees to set health goals with their doctors. Reports say this initiative by Apple has not seen much engagement from employees.
AC Wellness is a health clinic launched by Apple in Santa Clara county. The clinic is for Apple employees and their families. Many sources believe Apple will leverage the medical clinics to test its health products and services before rolling them out to consumers worldwide.
These were the few hardware, software, and services Apple is looking at in the healthcare space. Apart from these, Apple has acquired companies that contribute to its health space foray.
- It acquired Gllimpse which was a health data-focused startup to effectively work on its foray into Electronic Medical Records (EMRs).
- Apple acquired Beddit, which was a sleep monitoring company. It tracked heart rate, breathing and other relevant sleep data.
- Lattice Data was purchased by Apple, to utilize its machine learning technology in medical research.
- Apple also acquired Tueo Health. It was a startup focused on tracking the breathing of children with asthma during the nights.
The iPhone ecosystem
Apple is known for its customer retention with the iPhone ecosystem, and its healthcare moves are on the same lines. Most of its healthcare-related software, services, and devices fall into the iPhone ecosystem. This brings recurring revenue to the company and allows users to access all their data under one roof.
Related links
https://www.apple.com/in/healthcare/
https://www.apple.com/in/healthcare/products-platform/
https://www.apple.com/in/watch/
https://www.apple.com/in/airpods/
https://www.apple.com/in/ios/health/
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/healthkit
https://www.apple.com/in/researchkit/
