09/21/2021

Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15

There is even an entirely new health metric called Walking Steadiness

When Apple's iOS 15 goes live Monday, it will come with the usual bevy of software upgrades meant to enhance slightly older iPhones while also laying the groundwork for the Cupertino, Calif. company's next generation of devices. While most of the tech world will be focused on the headline changes, like a long-overdue overhaul of the default Weather app that centers more useful information, iOS 15 also introduces some major new health features, including new trend analysis and notification abilities, data sharing features, first-of-their-kind health metrics and more.

"Since 2014, the Health app's mission has been to help you make sense of your own health data, and making sure it's private and secure, all in one place," said Apple VP of Health Dr. Sumbul Desai. "And what you're going to see on Monday with iOS 15 is that the Health app really comes full circle."

Via the Health app, iPhones have long been able to store users' health data, whether it's collected by the handset itself, an Apple Watch or a compatible third-party device. But iOS 15 brings two new features to the Health app meant to make that data easier to share with others. The first allows iPhone users to share their health metrics with their loved ones, so that, for instance, an adult son or daughter can keep tabs on their parents' well-being, and get an early heads up if anything seems amiss. The second allows easier sharing of users' health data directly with their physicians.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.