Reports say Apple foraying into mobile medical health space

By Nicel Jane Avellana

Feb 01, 2014 12:51 PM EST

Apple seems intent in extending its reach into the mobile medical health segment, CNET reported. The company is rumored to be deeply intent on developing its iWatch, a wearable device that puts a premium on mobile health can fitness tracking. Apple is said to unveil the product by the end of 2014, the report said.

Citing a report from The New York Times, CNET reported that prominent executives from Apple, held a meeting last month with the Food and Drug Association. These executives included Senior Vice President of Operations Jeff Williams and Vice President of Software Technology Budd Tribble. The association's public calendar showed that "mobile medical applications" was the subject of the meeting, the report said.

Moreover, The Times report also said that Apple Vice President of Technology Kevin Lynch is involved in making software for the watch while SVP of Technology Bob Mansfield is also studying a technology related to health that can be linked to the iPhone. The report said the information came from unnamed sources.

CNET also cited a 9to5 Mac report which said that an app which goes by the codename "Healthbook" will be part of the iOS 8. The report said that the app will enable users to monitor such things as number of steps taken, amount of calories burned and weight gained or lost. It will also record a user's blood pressure, hydration and glucose levels. These features are similar to what Nike and Fitbit provide, CNET reported.

The rumor mill also said that Apple's foray into the mobile medical health space is evidenced by its key hires. A MacRumors report said the tech giant got Michael O'Reilly on board. Reilly was said to have previously worked at Masimo Corporation as its Chief Medical Officer before Apple hired him. Masimo Corporation is a medical technology firm based in Irvine, California, the report said.

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