Apple is developing a “killer” new health device that is scheduled to make its debut in 2017, according to a new report. The device will reportedly monitor heart rate and blood sugar, and will somehow be baked into next year’s iPhone.
The claims come from Chinese new outlet Economic Daily News, which doesn’t provide us with many specifics. What it does promise, based on information received from supply chain sources, is that Apple will step up its health game even further next year.
The report adds that in addition to monitoring heart rate, Apple’s new device will also keep track of blood pressure. However, this kind of functionality would require the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and that’s something Apple wants to avoid.
“We don’t want to put the watch through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process,” Cook said during an interview about Apple Watch last year.
“I wouldn’t mind putting something adjacent to the watch through it, but not the watch, because it would hold us back from innovating too much, the cycles are too long. But you can begin to envision other things that might be adjacent to it — maybe an app, maybe something else.”
The same could be said about the iPhone, but according to the EDN, that’s exactly where Apple plans to put this new health device.
It’s not unlikely Apple is working on devices that perform these tasks given its focus on health, but it’s probably highly unlikely they will be integrated into iPhone — or even Apple Watch. As Cook said, they will likely be available with adjacent devices instead — like smart straps.
Via: 9to5Mac
