Apple has upgraded the Apple Watch throughout and it’s clear that the company has bet the farm on digital health and wellness. It’s likely to have multiple enterprise use cases.
Apple unveiled its latest Apple Watch lineup with a continued bet on health and with a focus on fitness and being „an intelligent guardian of your health.“ How big of a bet? Apple added the ability to offer an ECG, or electrocardiogram, direct to consumers at any time.
Also: Apple Watch Series 4 starts at $399, packs larger displays and ECG sensor (CNET)
Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, speaking at the company’s iPhone event, outlined Apple Watch Series 4: „Everything about it has been redesigned and reengineered.“
The biggest takeaway is that Apple Watch is now a fashionable medical device, and that’ll open up the enterprise wellness market as well as healthcare system.
The screens are more than 30 percent larger on the Apple Watch with similar bezels. Sure, Apple Watch will have more with Maps and Photos, but the new watch is focused on health and other customizations such as adding loved ones to a screen.
„We’ve also designed a brand new watch face with up to eight complications that really brings them to life. You can customize it with the things you care about,“ said Williams.
For instance, Apple Watch Series 4 will have three variations of its breath app on the watch face. It can also identify a fall and analyze the data. In other words, Apple Watch will have more appeal to companies that specialize in the aging in place market.
Apple’s iPhone event is its biggest annual event — where it outlines the roadmap that is expected to keep a massive profit and revenue engine running as the company develops more services.
CEO Tim Cook touted the Apple Watch and its place in the standings . Apple Watch is not only the No. 1 smartwatch, but the No. 1 watch, period. „For millions of people around the world, Apple Watch has helped them to stay connected, be more active and live a healthier day,“ he said.
As Apple walked through the health features added to the Apple Watch, it was clear that the company sees consumer-driven healthcare as a key market. The presentation came complete with Ivor Benjamin, MD, who is head of the American Heart Association.
Also: How Apple Watch saved my life
„Products to seek to provide deeper health insights like the Apple Watch Series 4 offer great potential“ in bolstering healthcare, said Benjamin. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch has received FDA clearance to be used as a health device for its ability to detect irregular heart rhythm alerts.
Simply put, Apple Watch is a medical device. Apple can use those clearances to be used in HR enterprise wellness programs and throughout hospitals and healthcare.
Apple Watch Series 4 has a bevy of advances beyond healthcare — beginning with a larger display that enables more complications, informative displays, and easier to read fonts.
Apple Watch Series 4 is available Sept. 21, with preorders starting Sept. 14. The device will be available in 26 markets for GPS and 16 markets for cellular with 34 carriers. As for pricing, Apple Watch Series 4 with GPS starts at $399 or $499 with cellular.
Also: Apple’s Sep 12 event: What the pros expect TechRepublic
The Series 3 will now be $279. WatchOS 5 will be available from Sept. 17.
Apple can win electronic medical record game with Health Records in iOS 11.3: Here’s 7 reasons why
Apple’s enterprise footprint, approach to privacy and partnerships will give it an edge with Health Records, a feature in iOS 11.3 to position the company in medical health records.
Samsung inadvertently admits Apple got some things right
At its Unpacked event, Samsung insisted it wants everything to work together now. Does that remind you of anyone?
Apple watchOS 5 adds new activity, communication features
The new communication features come in the form of a new Walkie-Talkie mode that works over cellular and WiFi, along with more interactive notifications.
Apple stays top of slowing wearables market
The global wearables market grew by 1.2 percent for Q1 2018, lower than the 18 percent year-on-year growth registered a year ago, as consumers opt for smarter wearable devices.
Could your Apple Watch save your life? How smartwatch sensors could help tackle a dangerous heart condition
A collaboration between Cupertino and Stanford University’s medical school is aiming to conduct what could be the biggest research study into atrial fibrillation.
Apple’s healthcare plans under the microscope: From iPhone apps to Apple Watch and what comes next
The way healthcare data is gathered, shared, and understood could all be set for a sea-change if Apple becomes consumers‘ and providers‘ med-tech supplier of choice.
Apple Watch accurately detects hypertension and sleep apnea, study finds
The study was conducted by health startup Cardiogram and UCSF and followed more than 6,000 subjects.
