E-rumor has it that Apple is working on a new app called Healthbook, which will collect emergency information, keep track of vital health statistics, and record nutrition and fitness progress, all easily accessible from any iOS 8-compatible device.
Reports state that the Healthbook app is to be organized much like iPhone’s current Passbook. A differently-colored card will correspond to a different area of health tracking, and there are to be tabs that users can arrange to suit their individual needs. The app is still in the testing process, but it is reportedly being designed to track many important areas of health, and organize them in one location.
Perhaps the most important feature that Healthbook may offer is the Emergency Card. This card will hold information such as name, eye color, blood type, address, information on any medications taken, organ donor status and emergency contact information, possibly with a pre-programmed phone number to the primary person to contact if an emergency occurs.
This might be able to be accessed from the lock screen of a phone, so that EMTs and doctors could identify a person and know their vital information in case of an accident or sudden illness.
Healthbook is also rumored to have cards that will track other important health data, such as heart rate, bloodwork, blood pressure, blood sugar, respiratory rate, hydration, weight, oxygen saturation and even sleep cycles.
App users could enter their data into these categories, and be able to see – and show their health practitioners – an overall picture of their current health, as well as how these values change over time. Although it is still unclear exactly how, Healthbook may be able to measure some of these health values for the user, as well.
This app may also prove very useful for those striving for certain weight loss and fitness goals. Tabs are being created to track changes in weight, activity levels, nutrition, BMI and percentage of body fat, as well as calories burned and miles walked during physical activity.
The app would then create graphs charting progress in each area over a designated time period. Some of this information would be entered by the user, and some may be collected by the app – rumor has it that Apple is also working on an iWatch, which would align with Healthbook and be key in collecting some of this data.
Sources say that Healthbook might be available as part of iOS 8 late in 2014. Keep your eyes open for it; if Apple delivers on everything it sets out to accomplish, this may be one very handy little app, indeed.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/13/ios-8-screenshot-icons
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/17/healthbook-renderings-details
http://9to5mac.com/2014/03/17/this-is-healthbook-apples-first-major-step-into-health-fitness-tracking
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/03/17/apple-healthbook-report/6525183
