“Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook says the health monitoring market is ready for new technology innovation and tracking your body should be more like keeping tabs on the performance of your car,” Marie Mawad reports for Bloomberg. “‘If you drive for a while and your car gets too hot, it says pull over. If you need an oil change, it says check your oil. What’s the equivalent for the body?’ Cook said Tuesday in Amsterdam at a conference. ‘We believe health is a huge issue around the world and we think it’s ripe for simplicity and a new view.'”
“Apple’s smartwatch already tells people to get up, walk around or exercise, but in the future such devices will know more about the body and could advise users on getting a doctor’s check-up for example, Cook said,” Mawad reports. “‘The holy grail of the watch is being able to monitor more and more of what’s going on in your body,’ Cook said. ‘If you could have a device that knew so much about you, it would be incredible, and would extend life and extend quality. I’m not saying one device will do all of that.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Not one device, but imagine symbiotic devices working on conjunction. For example:
iPhone + Apple Watch + Apple Smartbands for Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Sport with Apple’s Activity and Workout appsAs runners, the lack of GPS sans iPhone is Apple Watch’s biggest drawback. No matter how painstakingly we calibrate our Apple Watches, they’re just not accurate enough for our use without iPhone along for the ride. Sans iPhone, the Apple Watch (accelerometer-based pedometer) is off by a 1/10 of a mile or more every three miles. It’s equally awful on treadmill or outdoors. That’s just not copacetic for any runner beyond the beginner stage.
We’d love to be able to slap Apple Smartband GPS units on our Apple Watches and take off running while measuring accurately without carting along our iPhones!
Also, can we have an Apple Workout app that simply lists our monthly progress (how many miles we’ve done to date this month)? Is that too much to ask for? Go to the Nike+ app and companion website for ideas. (Hey, Jay, didn’t you come from Nike?! Cripes, at least keep the good stuff, will ya?) Beyond that, we’d love for iCloud to gain a Workout section that will do what the Nike+ website does, including a social component – the ability to share and compete with friends (yes, we know, Apple+social=GULP!)
The thing is, a device like this will be good everyday, but during a lot of sporting activity (where it might excel) I can see people not wanting such an expensive device on their wrist for fear of breaking it either through contact or dirt etc. In a lot of sports you’re likely going to be told to take off a metal and glass watch. I think Apple needs a simpler device that perhaps has the monitoring functions without the full on interaction capability. I don’t see the Apple Watch being a device that does everything in all circumstances.
Make the data available and developers will use it in a way that benefits the public and by the way, their customers too. Apple Watch health could be … How would that guy in the red tie say it … HUUGE.
Ship it and I will buy one Tim Cook. I’m not alone.
‘I’m not saying one device will do all of that.’ Most people are not going to wear multiple devices to monitor their health. That’s like expecting people to carry a cell phone, a Walkman and a miniature laptop in their pockets. It might work if the bands contain some health monitoring sensors, but if this next watch iteration doesn’t contain additional health sensors and/or a sleeker design then the catagory will wither and die on the vine.
Just got mine a week ago and so far it is has helped me at work to see how active, or inactive, I’m being.
I don’t have one yet, but as soon as I have money to burn, I’ll see about getting one, maybe next year.
It works: lost 15 lbs., brought my weekly exercise up to 70,000 steps.
And the exercise app is fun.
The thing is, a device like this will be good everyday, but during a lot of sporting activity (where it might excel) I can see people not wanting such an expensive device on their wrist for fear of breaking it either through contact or dirt etc. In a lot of sports you’re likely going to be told to take off a metal and glass watch. I think Apple needs a simpler device that perhaps has the monitoring functions without the full on interaction capability. I don’t see the Apple Watch being a device that does everything in all circumstances.
A google watch like this will be linked to every pharmaceutical company who will then swamp us with ads.
A samsung watch like this will send you to a hospital that sends them (samsung) a referral fee.
A microsoft watch will get the BSOD with every change in heartbeat/blood or time zone.
Make the data available and developers will use it in a way that benefits the public and by the way, their customers too. Apple Watch health could be … How would that guy in the red tie say it … HUUGE.
Ship it and I will buy one Tim Cook. I’m not alone.
‘I’m not saying one device will do all of that.’ Most people are not going to wear multiple devices to monitor their health. That’s like expecting people to carry a cell phone, a Walkman and a miniature laptop in their pockets. It might work if the bands contain some health monitoring sensors, but if this next watch iteration doesn’t contain additional health sensors and/or a sleeker design then the catagory will wither and die on the vine.