Apple set to break into the fitness and medical field with the iWatch and iOS 8

There’s little doubt Apple is working on a health and fitness device. The company has been hiring researchers from the medical sector, applying for patents and meeting with the FDA. The latest leak from 9to5 Mac adds more pieces to the puzzle with a new story that describes how Apple will ties together the iWatch, health tracking and iOS 8. Apple is allegedly working on a new app called Healthbook. The software will monitor your most important health statistics like steps taken, calories burned, weight lost and more. Besides the basic fitness information, the Healthbook app will also track vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate and other blood-related parameters like glucose levels. It may also will serve as a log book for medications and will alert you to when you need to take a pill via the reminders app. Healthbook allegedly will look like Apple’s Passbook app and will feature a series of cards for each health point that is being monitored. Though expected to debut in iOS 8, sources tell 9to5Mac that this feature could be removed before the operating system is finalized. iOS and its Healthbook app require data to be useful and that data will come from the iWatch. As a result, Apple’s iWatch will reportedly contain sensors for measuring hydration, heart rate, blood pressure and more. It’ll pair with the iPhone and send its data to the Healthbook app. With iOS 8 slated to ship this year, it’s likely the iWatch will also launch this year, too. If the hardware technology is not ready this year, it’s possible that Apple will open up the Healthbook app to third-party accessories or even existing medical hardware. iOS 8 will be similar to iOS 7 in design, but will feature minor improvements throughout the OS. Maps ay get the biggest boost as Apple has been focusing on that core technology following its rocky launch. Indoor mapping as well as transit directions could make their way into the app. It’ll be awhile before these rumors can be validated. Apple likely won’t unveil iOS 8 until June at WWDC 2014 and the iWatch could land in the fall when iOS 8 is released to the public. Continue reading →

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