Sources claim that an under-the-radar Apple team are negotiating with developers and hospitals to put all of your medical information into one place: the iPhone.
CNBC says it has learned such a secretive team and project exist, with the aim of making your phone a one-stop-shop for all of your medical data, from lab results to allergy lists:
“CNBC has learned that a secretive team within Apple’s growing health unit unit has been in talks with developers, hospitals, and other industry groups about bringing clinical data to the iPhone.”
The report claims that Apple is nosing around for cloud hosting start-ups relating to this initiative, suggesting that Apple are exploring the feature of backing up your medical information via the cloud.
Apple are also said to be in talks with various health IT industries, including “The Argonaut Project” that promotes the adoption of open standards for health information.
Health features in Apple products have, more often than not, focused on wellness and fitness, from the release of HealthKit in 2014 to fitness-related features on the Apple Watch 2.
However, aspects of HealthKit could be a precursor to this project, including the option to input your health records, although it is rather limited in relation to what Apple is apparently working towards.
While mass data sharing on this scale might worry iPhone users, this scheme could resolve significant issues that exist within the medical industry, such as mistakes and misdiagnoses arising from insufficient personal data available.
That said, UK users could well balk at these plans after a global hack nicknamed WannaCry ravaged the National Health Service in May, delaying vital operations.
Related: iPhone 8
Would you be on board with Apple’s plans? Let us know in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
