Skip to main content

Apple reveals health-focused push with Health app and Mayo Clinic partnership

apple health app murder germany
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple’s foray into health has been rumored for a number of months, but the company made it official during WWDC. Morphed into HealthKit and Health, they talk to other applications and uniformly present fitness information.

Health is the app itself, whereas HealthKit is the back-end. HealthKit gathers data from third-party apps, such as Nike’s FuelBand, and have that data presented under one roof. Health shows you all the activity metrics and compiles a composite profile based on the information it gathers, which includes weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and more.

To help power HealthKit, Apple announced a partnership with Mayo Clinic, with other major hospitals and institutions set to support HealthKit. With the support, HealthKit can notify your doctor when, for example, it notices your blood pressure is not at normal levels or when vitals aren’t right.

HealthKit and Health will be part of iOS 8, which Apple announced will be available sometime this fall.

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
AirPods to gain Find My function, and possible respiratory monitoring
AirPods 2 Charging Case opened on a table.

Apple's iconic white true wireless earbuds are slated to get several new functions with the upcoming general release of iOS 15. But the most important of these -- at least from the perspective of folks who have a tendency to forget where they left their earbuds -- is the ability to connect a set of AirPods to your Apple ID, which could give you the same ability to locate them that Apple users currently enjoy with their iPhones, iMacs, MacBooks, and iPads.

First spotted in the code for an iOS 15 beta release by 9to5Mac, it looks like you'll be able to register AirPods Pro and AirPods Max to your Apple ID (sorry regular AirPods owners). You'll then be able to leverage Apple's enormous Find My network to locate your missing earbuds or headphones. Unfortunately, the same beta code also suggests that, unlike the locking/remote wipe feature that Apple offers for its computing devices, there's no way to prevent someone who finds your audio gear from removing the Apple ID association and making it their own.

Read more
Apple reveals dates for online-only WWDC 2021, promising ‘unique insights’
apple wwdc 2021 online only wwdc21 newsroom article tile 033021 big jpg large 2x

Apple's annual developer extravaganza is going fully virtual once more. Now officially set for June 7 through June 11, the company has confirmed in a press release that this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will be a free-to-attend online event for all developers.

Apple notes that last year's online conference saw "record-breaking participation" and promises that WWDC21 should deliver more of the same, with "unique insight into the future of iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, WatchOS, and tvOS."

Read more
The best fitness apps for the Apple Watch
best fitness apps for the Apple Watch

The Apple Watch has emerged as an ideal fit for your health and fitness routine -- whether you're a hardcore exercise fanatic or just getting started. Tracking your exercises and meeting your goals is a great way to preserve and enhance your physical and mental health, and the Apple Watch stands ready to assist. Start by downloading a few of the finest fitness apps. We've rounded up a selection of our favorites, so you can spend less time perusing the App Store and more time hitting the treadmill -- or feel free to check out our roundup of the best Apple Watch apps.

If you're just getting started with the Apple Watch, check out our picks for the best Apple Watch faces and how to customize them. And don't forget our review of the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE to find out more about the most recent hardware and software.
MyTraining

Read more