Apple inc. introduces Healthbook into the mhealth market
Written by Alyssa Clark
Since the introduction of the iPhone and the iPad years ago, healthcare technology users have waited in anticipation to see how Apple would meet the demands of the ever-changing healthcare market.
Recently, technicians working on the Apple IOS application have released in-depth information about how Healthbook will assist people within the mobile health and fitness-tracking markets. Inspired by Apple's existing Passbook application, this new app will be capable of tracking multiple health and data points concurrently.
The different categories in the Healthbook are broken up into cards, with each card holding a different functionality. Cards are distinguished by a color, and the cards' tabs can be arranged within the Healthbook to fit user preferences. Broken up in Apple's standard clean fashion, Healthbook has sections to track data pertaining to bloodwork, hydration, heart rate, blood pressure, physical activity, nutrition, blood sugar, sleep, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and weight.
Reports have recently surfaced that Apple has failed to monitor hydration data, however recently released images of Healthbook's testing phase clearly shows that Apple is working on tracking hydration levels. Also, there have been rumors of Apple getting involved with maternity and stress data, but the images do not indicate that Apple is working on tracking stress or pregnancy data points at this time. It is a definite possibility that this type of functionality could arrive in the near future, but at this time, Apple is not currently developing those capabilities.
A sneak peak into the app
Activity, weight and nutrition are three of Healthbook’s tabs that are dedicated to fitness tracking. Activity tracks steps taken, calories burned and miles walked; and the Weight tab asks users to input their height and weight information in order to track statistics like BMI and body fat percentage. These two functions both allow users to track their fitness progress over the course of a day, week, month and year. In addition, each tab includes a graph to visualize the progress over time.
Healthbook's Nutrition tab gives users access to enter their daily food intake and manage their diet. Combining fitness activity, weight tracking and diet management into one application is a desirable mhealth app for both fitness enthusiasts and dieting individuals.
Instead of having to frequent your doctor's office or clinic to check blood pressure or cholesterol, Healthbook provides a mobile resource to check these health necessities through your smart device. Healthbook provides the following resources to in-need individuals: store and track heart rate/pulse data in BPM (beats per minute) as well as blood pressure data and records blood pressure, blood tracking, bloodwork, oxygen saturation and blood sugar. Other devices by Samsung and other competitors do some of the above features, but the devices do not include the highly-desirable blood pressure functionality.
In the future
Once again, Apple has set itself up to overtake existing wellness apps with this all-encompassing application. Rumors are already surfacing about a line of wearables to accompany Apple's latest addition to the IOS family, and the public is already anticipating great success from this addition to the mhealth market.
