The Forbes website recently reported that some analysts predict that Apple will start to provide health insurance in 2024, and the health data obtained by Apple Watch will be an important basis for it.
At present, Apple is collecting data such as blood pressure, blood oxygen, electrocardiogram and body temperature from Apple Watch, and helping people adjust medication, and it can also be used to monitor diseases such as diabetes through supporting equipment. Analysts believe that such a wealth of data will give Apple a leading position in the insurance market and cut costs for consumers.
The picture comes from Apple’s official website
“They could become a very competitive player in the health insurance market, which could have a considerable impact on the structure of the U.S. health care market,” said Ben Wood, principal analyst at technology analysis firm CCS Insight.
Insurance industry vertical media “Baoguan” pointed out that in the United States, the development of electronic health records has accumulated a lot of data, but at present it is mainly applied in clinic scenarios, and its application in the insurance industry is still in its infancy.
According to CCS Insight, Apple will partner with a large insurance company to take the first step into the US health insurance market. According to “Baoguan”, according to Apple’s previous cooperation with Aetna Insurance, UnitedHealth’s possible future alliance partner in 2019, Apple’s choice of insurance company in 2024 may be UnitedHealth, one of the most influential health insurance companies in the United States.
Launched in 2014, the Apple Watch started out as a fashion accessory and has since grown to include health-related features.
In 2018, Apple Watch Series 4 was approved by the FDA, becoming the world’s first non-prescription product that directly faces consumers by detecting an ECG on the wrist. In 2020, Apple Watch Series 6 has added the function of blood oxygen detection, which can measure blood oxygen saturation in just 15 seconds.
With the launch of Apple Watch, Apple’s layout in the big health industry has also taken shape. Also in 2014, Apple launched Apple Health, a health data mobile application. In 2015 and 2016, it launched the open source frameworks ResearchKit and CareKit respectively to help medical research, medical App development, and disease records.
In addition, Apple has also made continuous acquisitions in healthcare. It acquired patient data platform Gliimpse in 2016, sleep hardware company Beddit in 2017, and Tueo Health, a healthcare startup developing a system for detecting asthma symptoms in children in 2019.
The cooperation between Apple and Aetna Insurance also occurred in 2019. They jointly launched a new app called Attain, which can use Apple Watch data to provide heart rate monitoring and exercise tracking services.
In 2020, Apple began a study with partners such as American health insurance giant Anthem Insurance on how people with asthma can use consumer devices such as the Apple Watch to manage their condition. In 2019, Anson Insurance was reported to have poached core employees of Apple’s health department.
“Almost every day, I get messages from customers who share how heart alerts prompted them to make an appointment with a cardiologist, saving lives.” Apple CEO Cook said publicly when talking about the Apple Watch in January of this year, “Our It’s early days for the wellness work, but every day, I’m inspired by the positive impact we’re making. My feeling has always been that there’s more here. We’ll continue to build bridges and see where it takes us.”
