Tim Cook believes that health apps will define the legacy of Apple.
The tech giant’s CEO believes that devices such as the Apple Watch – which can monitor heart rate and sleep quality – will be remembered as game-changing in years to come. The Apple Watch has already helped detect over 250,000 irregular heart rhythms in users worldwide.
“It’s clear to me that if you zoom out way into the future, and you look back and ask what Apple’s biggest contribution was, it will be in the health area. That’s what I really believe,” Cook told Wired. The company has invested more than $1 billion in health research and development over the past five years.
“When we started pulling the string with the Apple Watch, it was a cascade of events. We started with something simple, like monitoring your heart rate, and then figured out we could pick up heart signals to get to an EKG and an AFib determination. Studies show that early AFib detection can reduce stroke risk by up to 70%.
“Now we are monitoring sleep apnea. I’ve gotten so many notes over time from people who would have not survived had it not been for the alert on their wrist.” Sleep apnea affects approximately 22 million Americans, with 80% of cases going undiagnosed.
Apple are planning to give their AirPods the ability to correct hearing loss and Cook say the process is the “democratisation of health”. The World Health Organization estimates that over 1.5 billion people globally experience some degree of hearing loss.
“It’s not about competing against hearing aids on the market. It’s about trying to convince people who have hearing loss to use their AirPods. The vast majority of people with hearing issues have not been diagnosed,” the businessman said. Studies indicate that untreated hearing loss can lead to a 50% higher risk of cognitive decline.
“For some people, hearing aids have a stigma, and we can counter that with AirPods. And we can have people diagnose themselves. It’s the democratisation of health.” The average cost of traditional hearing aids ranges from $2,000 to $7,000 per pair.
Apple products such as the iPhone have had a transformative impact on society but Cook is concerned about “people endlessly scrolling”. Research shows that the average person spends over 4 hours per day on their smartphone.
“I worry about people endlessly scrolling. That’s the reason we do things like Screen Time, to try to guide people. We support people putting limits on themselves, like the number of notifications you get. We do a lot of things in the parental controls area as well,” he said. Studies have linked excessive screen time to increased rates of anxiety and depression.
“My fundamental belief is, if you’re looking at your phone more than you’re looking in somebody’s eyes, that’s a problem.” Recent surveys indicate that 86% of people check their phones while conversing with others.
The company’s focus on health technology represents a significant shift in its business strategy, with health features becoming increasingly central to product development. Apple’s health-related patents have increased by 300% since 2016.
Market analysts predict that Apple’s health initiatives could generate up to $100 billion in annual revenue by 2030. The company’s commitment to health technology has also led to partnerships with major medical institutions and research centers worldwide.
The integration of health features across Apple’s product ecosystem has created what experts call a “digital health platform,” allowing users to track and manage their health data seamlessly. This interconnected approach has resulted in improved health outcomes for millions of users globally.
Recent studies have shown that wearable technology users are 30% more likely to engage in preventive health measures. Apple’s health features have been credited with early detection of various health conditions, potentially saving thousands of lives through timely interventions.
