| Cult of Mac

Man stricken with huge blood clot says Apple Watch saved him

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William Fryer, 83, said Apple Watch saved his life.
William Fryer, 83, said Apple Watch saved his life.
Photo: WCPO ABC-9 Cincinnati

When an Ohio man went for his usual walk along the river recently and felt his knees turn to rubber, he had no idea what he was in for — other than he was “going down.”

But it turned out his Apple Watch and a health app had a few ideas, and they helped save the fallen 83-year-old’s life.

New Apple Health-connected smart scale dares you not to look

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The new Withings Body Smart scale not only measures health metrics, it keeps them private if you like.
The new Withings Body Smart scale not only measures health metrics, it keeps them private if you like.
Photo: Withings

Withings unveiled its newest smart scale Tuesday, the Body Smart. It provides precise weight, body composition and health measurements as well as an Eyes Closed Mode “for those that dare not look,” the company said.

Eyes Closed Mode instead shows encouraging statements on the scale and surfaces your actual stats in the Apple Health-connected app so others can’t see them.

Add your COVID-19 vaccine card to Apple Wallet

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Leave the card at home
Maybe, just maybe, you can use Apple Wallet.
Image: Rwendland/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Add your COVID-19 vaccine card to Apple Wallet on your iPhone, and you can leave your physical card safe at home. Some places may require proof of vaccination to enter, like international airports, concert venues and cruise ships.

If your health care provider can share data with the Apple Health app, and if digital cards are considered valid proof of vaccination where you’re going, and if the stars are in the right place, too, you just might be able to go all-in on Apple Wallet. Let me show you how.

Inside the secret mission to add glucose monitor to Apple Watch

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In a possible groundbreaking new product, Apple Watch could monitor blood glucose with the help of device strapped to the bicep.
In a possible groundbreaking new product, Apple Watch could monitor blood glucose with the help of device strapped to the bicep.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch is well-known as a health tracker, but a new report said a secret project dating back to Steve Jobs’ era — to use the wearable to monitor glucose without pricking the skin to get blood — has made headway recently. And that has major implications.

The secret effort, known as E5, could involve a device that straps to the bicep and works with the watch. If it comes to market, it could disrupt industries and help millions of diabetics.

How to add your medical records and vaccine card to Apple Health

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Get your records all in one place
Import your medical history and vaccine card to your iPhone.
Image: Public Domain/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A lot of healthcare providers have terrible websites. Apple’s Health app, on the other hand, is very well organized and intuitive to use. You can add your medical records to the Apple Health app for easy access to all your health history, medications, test results and data. If your healthcare provider supports this feature, it’s incredibly convenient having all your information in one place. Once it’s in the Health app, you can easily add medication reminders and share your information with doctors, close family members and friends.

I’ve juggled between a few healthcare providers and I’ve never found one with a comprehensible, user-friendly website. If you have the right healthcare provider, and the stars are in the right place too, you should be able to connect them.

Prepare for emergencies by setting up Medical ID on your iPhone

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This may save your life.
It probably won’t, but it may.
Image: Helitak430/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

It’s very important to set up the Medical ID on your iPhone so it’s ready in case you find yourself in an emergency situation. First responders can check your iPhone to get critical information about any allergies or preexisting conditions that could make a huge difference in their ability to help you.

It might be unpleasant to think about, but providing this vital information could prove lifesaving if an accident leaves you unconscious.

If you haven’t yet done so you’ll be happy to know it only takes a couple of minutes to update your medical records in the Health app on your iPhone. Here’s how to do it.

New Withings smart scale and subscription service integrate with Apple Health

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You won't be able to hide anything from your Withings Body Comp smart scale.
You won't be able to hide anything from your Withings Body Comp smart scale.
Photo: Withings

Withings introduced its newest and most-advanced smart scale along with the company’s first health subscription service Thursday, both integrated with Apple Health.

The company said the Body Comp scale measures multiple biomarkers for a complete body assessment and the annual Health+ subscription service provides health analysis and tools to help users build healthful routines.

The scale and service launch October 4 at a price of $209.95.

How scientific are Apple’s health and fitness features?

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Putting Apple's health & fitness features under a microscope
Let's put Apple's health and fitness features under a microscope.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac/Rouibi Dhia Eddine Nadjm*

In a recent report, Apple outlined the “rigorous scientific validation processes” used to develop the health and fitness features baked into its products.

Wearables like Apple Watch monitor our bodies around the clock, providing health insights in real time. That’s a new and unprecedented development in medical technology. The benefits are already clear, as the report illustrates, with anecdotes about how Apple Watch has saved lives.

But anecdotal evidence is not the same as scientific research. By cherry-picking the best outcomes, anecdotes risk overlooking the bigger picture. Scientists must look at all the outcomes, not just the good ones. With that in mind, I took a closer look at the scientific studies cited in Apple’s report, to find out what they tell us about the impact Apple Watch is having on our health.

Woman with deadly, hidden tumor saved by Apple Watch

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Apple Watch keeps saving people's lives.
Apple Watch keeps saving people's lives.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

In recent years Apple Watch has shown itself to be a lifesaver, either by calling for help when a person’s incapacitated or by offering health readings that lead a person to see a doctor.

In the latter category it just happened again. A woman in Maine didn’t believe what the wearable was telling her at first. But going to the ER led to open-heart surgery that saved her from a probable fatal stroke.

Judge rules against Apple in ECG suit calling for Apple Watch import ban

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A judge ruled Apple infringed on AliveCor's ECG-related patents.
A judge ruled Apple infringed on AliveCor's ECG-related patents.
Photo: Apple

Personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology maker AliveCor sued Apple last year, claiming the tech giant infringed on patents when developing the heart-health functionality for Apple Watch. AliveCor called for a ban on U.S. imports of the wearable, as well.

Now a judge from the International Trade Commission has supported the claims in an initial ruling.