Apple Argues It's Now a Major Force in the Health-Care World (bloomberg.com) 51
Apple published a nearly 60-page report Wednesday outlining all its health features and partnerships with medical institutions, arguing that such offerings are key to the tech giant's future. From a report: The company pointed to its breadth of existing services -- from sleep monitoring and fitness classes to atrial-fibrillation detection and cycle tracking -- and promised to build on that foundation. Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, who oversees Apple's health endeavors, said in a statement attached to the report that the company will continue to innovate in "science-based technology."
"The health innovations we've pioneered have aimed to help break down barriers between users and their own everyday health data, between health-care providers and patients, and between researchers and study participants," he said. The report serves as a response to Apple critics, who have knocked the company for not doing as much as rivals in health care. Though the Apple Watch dominates the market, the device hasn't always gotten novel health features as quickly as competitors' products. And fellow tech titans such as Amazon.com and Google have made ambitious forays into the medical field -- with mixed results. Apple is arguing that it's a pioneer in health technology and positioned to use it as a growth driver in the years ahead.
"The health innovations we've pioneered have aimed to help break down barriers between users and their own everyday health data, between health-care providers and patients, and between researchers and study participants," he said. The report serves as a response to Apple critics, who have knocked the company for not doing as much as rivals in health care. Though the Apple Watch dominates the market, the device hasn't always gotten novel health features as quickly as competitors' products. And fellow tech titans such as Amazon.com and Google have made ambitious forays into the medical field -- with mixed results. Apple is arguing that it's a pioneer in health technology and positioned to use it as a growth driver in the years ahead.
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Re:What a load of shit apple (Score:4, Interesting)
As a rule what Apple has done has primarily been polishing. There has been real engineering, but almost no breaking of new ground. Their accomplishments should not be dismissed, but neither should they be blown out of proportion. The only two times they haven't lagged technically were with the Newton which was an almost complete failure, and for the brief moment when the processor in the highest end Power Macintosh (G5) was conclusively faster than available PC processors — this lasted less than one year.
Speaking of the Newton, what product finally made the handheld computer revolution take off? The Palm Pilot. Newtons had very powerful processors for their day, with ARM cores in fact, but they were just too expensive to proliferate. Ironically, the Palm Pilot (until the V) used 68k-based Dragonball processor [wikipedia.org]s, then they too went ARM. The Newton of course didn't have the option of a lower-power 68k, which didn't exist yet. It was just bad timing. When Steve Jobs came back to Apple, he shouted "get these damned scribble pads out of my office" and threw some Newtons out of a doorway (or such is my recollection of the tale.)
Apple didn't invent the GUI, or the capacitive touch screen phone with rows of icons, or the self-contained mp3 player, or really anything else people associate them with. What they did was come up with the first really compelling version of each of these things. Why that isn't enough, and people have to make things up to believe in, I have no idea. Apple engineers made some genuinely impressive technical achievements in their early hardware, and then the company rode those technical decisions hard all the way until at least Mac OS 8 and in many ways until OSX, to the detriment of both users and their own bottom line.
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It's difficult to find a reason for leaving this comment [slashdot.org] unless that was what you were trying to imply.
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Terrifying if true (Score:4, Interesting)
Apple is part of PRISM so that means that all your health data is being funneled to the feds. That has the potential to go seriously sideways, real soon now.
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Will I be relegated to wandering the streets, jailed, executed, because the gubmint decides that people with "mental health" are the cause of our society's problems?
It depends. If the Republicans take control, then that's what you can expect if you're white. They've got no use for you. Reagan demonstrated that, they'd prefer you just die in a ditch. If you're colored, they'll enslave you. That's what they mean when they say MAGA. If it's the Democrats in control of the slide into fascism, then equitably and regardless of color or background you will be picked up off the streets, analyzed, pathologized, institutionalized, compartmentalized, anesthetized, and finally cap
Nope (Score:1)
Apple is part of PRISM so that means that all your health data is being funneled to the feds.
All Apple health data is only kept on device, only sent to health providers you choose, and then only the data you choose to share with them.
You can keep chasing to believe long things, or you can sign yourself with reality.
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You can keep chasing to believe long things, or you can sign yourself with reality.
Did Apple transcribe that for you, or is this a translation from the ancient Chinese?
I think they are right (Score:2)
Apple has a really greta health monitoring device with the Apple Watch, but even more importantly it's a device that has been helpful in getting people to work out - just as the FitBit has as well to be sure, but I feel the Apple Watch is more generally useful for various kinds of fitness.
In addition to that, Apple's one of the few companies that has treated user privacy with enough seriousness that people trust the phones to store health data, knowing it's going going to be going to marketers and the like.
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Do we want apple in this position?
Or more generally with the power that comes from their various market dominant positions, monopolies, and even the giant pile of money they're sitting on?
They're not as bad, currently, as microsoft was in its heyday because they don't take choice away from people outside their walled garden, er, ecosystem. Well, not as much as microsoft did, anyway.
But that doesn't mean giving them as much power as they have is a good idea. If only because apple's world domination means no decent keyboards and no trackpoints on laptops.
PCs still outsell Macs. Android outsells iOS globally and iOS has a slim lead in US market share for phones. Apple TV is niche compared to Roku, Fire, and even Google Chromecast. "Smart" speakers they barely register compared to Amazon and Google. Apple is truly dominate in what, wearables and tablets? Now, should they be forced to open up on the App store/software side? Yes. But I have a hard time faulting Apple for being top dog in wearables because their competitors can't compete in that category.
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In addition to that, Apple's one of the few companies that has treated user privacy with enough seriousness that people trust the phones to store health data, knowing it's going going to be going to marketers and the like.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
*Inhlaes*
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
You think Apple care about your privacy. Fuck no. Maybe more so than Google or Facebook, but its an infinitesimal amount.
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Re: I think they are right (Score:2)
I was told by my cardiologist that those heart monitoring features are basically worthless. Whether that's ECG or HR, they're just too inaccurate to tell you anything meaningful.
And I think he's right. I go to Orange Theory and I've seen many times where the tracker shows my heart rate at 40 while I was running, and 180 while rested. Most of the time it gives you a decent estimate just for fun, and I'll admit it makes the workout a bit more engaging, but if you're looking for anything for health care, it's
Heart attack detection must be implemented (Score:4, Interesting)
To make dent, they need to be able to detect heart attacks 15 to 20 minutes in advance. That is easily possible in 90% of cases with periodic EKG. Heart attacks show up on an EKG minutes before a person feels the first symptoms (which many people ignore). If the Apple Watch could detect heart attacks early, many lives could be extended. And yes btw, a smartwatch is at least theoretically good enough, without having to wear anything else like a smartring. Reference: https://www.health.harvard.edu... [harvard.edu] Here is an alternate tech: https://keck.usc.edu/smartphon... [usc.edu]
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The second, and th
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Not counting that an EKG every 5 minutes will divide by 10 the autonomy of the watch which is already on the edge of being unusable.
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Cyberpunk future, here we come!
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So you might be forced to buy your prescriptions only at an Apple-branded store where Apple gets a 30 percent cut AND sells your personal medical data, "anonymized, of course" (HA HA) to any data broker out there?
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In the US it might have been the FDA, or not, I don't know, and it's not even relevant within this context, so I don't really care about that "deflection".
Thing is that Apple uses these practices everywhere around the world, of which the US makes up less than 5% in terms of population.
when blood sugar (Score:2)
I understand that it is a fiendishly difficult challenge to get it working as an Apple like product, meaning anyone should just be able to wear the watch no matter your skin colour and humidity. They have been working for years on it, hiring people with phds in non invasive sensors.
Anyway, once it is available, it is a great health monitoring tool, and not
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A misquote? (Score:3)
The health innovations we've pioneered have aimed to help break down barriers between users and their own everyday health data...
The data innovations we've pioneered have aimed to help break down barriers between Apple and their suckers' everyday health data...
FTFY
Look Mom, (Score:2)
I got an iLobotomy!
Better report on the report (Score:2)
That's an example of a clickbait title (Score:2)
The entire article is about Apple releasing a 60 page report detailing health features and partnerships in response to critics who said that they were not doing enough in that area. No one from Apple said nor implied that they were "a major force". What was said:
“The health innovations we’ve pioneered have aimed to help break down barriers between users and their own everyday health data, between health-care providers and patients, and between researchers and study participants,” he [Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams] said.
In fact the only use of the word "major" in the article: "Already, fitness features are a major selling point for the Apple Watch . . ."
From Apple's report, the word "major" appears 10 times:
dey evvywhere ! (Score:3)
My recent stints in hospital clearly demonstrated Apple's influence. More Apple watches than all other brands combined. Not just rich doctors but low level nurses and everyone in between.
Despite the talk about health benefits, these watches seem to be more of a fashion statement. At no time did I ever see anyone use an Apple watch in a way that couldn't be done with an ordinary watch.
In a different medical environment, Apple watches were an essential part of a secure communication system. They seemed to justify their expense well.
Still, I'm saving my pennies & dimes for the time when the Apple Tricorder Watch is closer to reality. Continuous glucose monitoring, etc.
And for those who impugn Apple's privacy practices I say put up or shut up. Your asinine accusations require factual support.
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And for those who impugn Apple's privacy practices I say put up or shut up. Your asinine accusations require factual support.
factual support [theguardian.com]
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And for those who impugn Apple's privacy practices I say put up or shut up. Your asinine accusations require factual support.
[factual support]
I respect your opinions, Drinky, but this is disappointing. This ancient Guardian link says nothing about what Apple gave the NSA. If you know what that is, please cite. Meanwhile, know that access to servers does not mean access to useful information. My VPN keeps nothing of interest on their servers. Any government bullies might force them open but they'll likely be
iPhones yes, Mac no (Score:1)
An Apple a day ... (Score:2)
Thera-Apple-nos (Score:2)