Apple has released a report on the use of health technologies such as the Apple Watch and how the company continues to work with medical organizations to achieve this.
The full report is described as a "snapshot" of Apple's work in health technology and is divided into two main sections. One looks at the health features of the Apple Watch and iPhone for the public, the other at Apple's collaboration with medical research around the world. Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, commented in the press release as follows:
We firmly believe that technology can help improve health and encourage people to live healthier lives. We're excited by the many ways our health and fitness features benefit people, and by the ways third-party developers, institutions, and organizations are using Apple technology to advance health and science. Our vision for the future is to continue to develop science-based technologies that empower people with even more information and act as an intelligent guardian of their health, so they are no longer passengers on their own health journey.
Apple: ResearchKit and HealthKit are a great help
Apple has been active in this field since 2014 with the launch of the Health app and most notably since 2015 with the Apple Watch. According to the report, users in the US, UK and Canada can now store over "150 different types of health data" on Apple devices, third-party apps and connected institutions. The company says there are over 800 institutions offering health data on the iPhone. Additionally, "tens of thousands" of apps use the HealthKit API, including Nike Run Club, Calm and WeightWatchers. Apple's ResearchKit gives researchers the ability to recruit study participants from the ranks of iPhone and Apple Watch users. ResearchKit has helped with asthma studies, for example. Apple says that the work of ResearchKit and HealthKit is an ongoing goal for the company but that it is ultimately about changing the way we look at health. The company's health efforts will continue in iOS 16 - more on that below. (Image: Apple)
