the health strategist
institute for strategic health transformation
& digital technology
Joaquim Cardoso MSc.
Chief Research and Strategy Officer (CRSO),
Chief Editor and Senior Advisor
November 2, 2023
One page summary
What is the message?
Apple has been working on revolutionizing health care by integrating health monitoring and disease prevention into its devices.
However, the company faces challenges, including philosophical disagreements and technological limitations, which have hindered the full realization of its health care goals.
What are the key points?
- Apple’s journey into health care began with Avolonte Health, a startup within the company that aimed to develop a noninvasive blood sugar monitor. Steve Jobs’ vision was to revolutionize diabetes care, but technical challenges and other limitations delayed the project’s success.
- Over the years, Apple has integrated health and fitness features into its products, such as the Apple Watch and iPhone. These features include heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen measurement, sleep tracking, and the ability to connect to hospital records, contributing to mainstream health tracking.
- Despite advancements, Apple’s efforts have faced challenges, and the company has scrapped or slowed work on various health-related projects. A culture of conservatism, regulatory complexities, and concerns about protecting its image have influenced Apple’s approach.
- Apple’s ideal future envisions reducing the need for single-function medical devices and medical visits. The company aims to improve health and potentially save lives, positioning itself in the rapidly growing health and fitness tracker market.
- Apple’s focus has primarily been on prevention and serving the “worried well.” Some critics argue that Apple is avoiding the “actual care” aspect of health care, missing opportunities for more direct patient care.
Statistics and Examples
- The health and fitness tracker market is projected to become a nearly $200 billion-a-year industry within a decade.
- Apple’s roadmap for 2024 includes features like hypertension and sleep apnea detection for the Apple Watch and hearing aid capabilities for AirPods.
- Apple is working on a paid health coach service that utilizes artificial intelligence.
- Apple is exploring the potential to turn its Vision Pro headset into a health and fitness device, with features like anti-anxiety, meditation, and cognitive health tracking.
- The company is considering regulatory approval for features that could provide more medical interpretations of health data, such as blood oxygen levels and thermometers.
- Apple has experimented with various business models, including collaborations with health insurers and clinics.
Conclusion
Apple’s ambitious journey into health care has brought numerous breakthroughs and challenges.
While the company has made significant strides in health tracking and monitoring, it continues to grapple with the tension between prevention and direct care.
Apple remains committed to improving health and aims to play a major role in reshaping the health care landscape in the future.
DEEP DIVE
This summary was written based on the article “Apple Has Plans to Eventually, Maybe Revolutionize Health Care”, published by Bloomberg and written by Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett, on November 1, 2023.
To read the original publication, click here.
