Apple is planning to make a push into health-tracking and medical devices according to two reports in the New York Times and 9to5Mac. It’s likely that these efforts will eventually work their way into Apple’s so-called iWatch, an wearable wrist-computer that Apple is expected to launch later this year.
Let’s start with the New York Times report, which says high-level Apple executives have met with the FDA to talk about bringing medical devices and apps to market. Nick Bilton, who co-bylined the NYT report, was the first person to break the news that Apple was working on the iWatch.
Then there’s the 9to5Mac report from Mark Gurman, the best Apple reporter in the world. Gurman says Apple’s next version of iOS, the operating system for iPhones and iPads, will have a new app called “Healthbook” that will be used to monitor stuff like calories burned, steps taken, and weight lost.
It’s sounding more and more like Apple’s iWatch is going to be a breakthrough product. Right now, smart watches are pretty dull with limited features and clunky designs. Many have compared the current state of smart watches to what smartphones looked like before the iPhone launched.
Originally published on Business Insider Australia