Apple may have left one important new healthcare monitoring product from its annual Worldwide Developers Conference — the iWatch. Apple plans to enter the growing healthcare sector as early as October with its own wearable health-monitoring device, according to Japanese newspaper Nikkei. Though details surrounding the iWatch have yet to be released, here’s what we do know from the rumor mill.
Like other wearable devices, the iWatch will feature a curved touch screen and monitor a user’s health data, including sleep patterns, calories consumed, and blood glucose and blood oxygen levels. Users can also use the device to read inbound text messages and receive call notifications from smartphones. These are pretty standard features, except the device will run exclusively on iOS 8, Apple’s upgraded mobile operating system for smartphones and tablet devices. Tech insiders seem confident that the iWatch could ship as early as October, alongside the new iPhone 6.
Other tech services have attempted to enter the healthcare market without little fanfare or flat out disastrous releases. Google Health was designed by Google to monitor an individual’s health in 2008, but was phased out in 2011. Smartphone makers have integrated fitness care services into new product launches, including Samsung’s recent Galaxy’s LifeCare platform that included a wearable watch device.
There have been whispers and rumors of an Apple and Nike partnership since Nike recently laid off the staff in the hardware department of FuelBand, its wearable health-monitoring device. The sports equipment maker received flack for “wasting tons of money and not knowing what they were doing.”
Apple has received criticism for some of its more ballsy moves in the past year that are interesting, but don’t push the innovative vision former Apple CEO Steve Jobs set forth. For example, its acquisition of Beats by Dre, which doesn’t offer any visible benefits except the Beats music service. Yet, Apple seems confident that the iWatch has an open market for faithful Apple users by ordering three to five million units for the launch.