Now sources are labeling the iWatch more of companion rather than a standalone device. This means that the wearable device would be dependent on iPhone for a majority of its functionality.
A key truth revealed in the report is that Apple has hired Michael O’Reilly. This is an important hire, since O’Reilly has been a Chief Medical Officer and also the VP of medical affairs at Masimo Corporation, developers of pulse oximeter.
Another interesting bit is the rumor that the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has shrugged off the notion that it would be regulating the wearable device. This is important since regulation would have led credence to the Healthbook app, another bit of news from the rumor mill.
If the rumor of FDA’s non-committal is true, this would indicate to a simpler design for the iWatch since it wouldn’t carry any advanced health sensors, as indicated earlier. These sensors were rumored to be used in diagnosing parameters such as glucose and hydration level.
The report also modifies the previously assumed context of the ‘Healthbook app’. The app is more bent towards acting as a health and fitness repository. This was help in attaining a standard among wearable devices and also generates feedback loop systems. The changed context is more towards an active lifestyle rather than using sensors to monitor the body.
In addition to maintaining a robust lifestyle, the health app would also cater to pregnant women and also towards people who have chronic illnesses. This would be achieved by using data from FDA approved medical devices.
The notion of hydration sensor has also been shunned on the account of it being a ‘resource burden’ and less functionality due to power constraints.
The speculation regarding iWatch has been on the rise since Apple has been beefing up the human resource associated with the project. The last year has seen a huge diversity of professionals ranging from fashion industry to biomedical startups has been hired.
Let’s see what designs and features Apple finally decides to opt for?
