By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    How Not to Become a Victim of Medical Scams
    How Not to Become a Victim of Medical Scams
    December 22, 2021
    11 Ways You Can Care for Your Elder Family Members Health
    11 Ways You Can Care for Your Elder Family Members Health
    April 6, 2022
    How Can Brain Injury Lead To Dangerous Long-Term Effects?
    How Can Brain Injury Lead To Dangerous Long-Term Effects?
    August 30, 2022
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Why are Girls Being Abandoned and Battered ?
    August 20, 2012
    biopharma beat innovation and imagination
    BioPharma Beat: Imagination Is More Important Than Innovation
    August 5, 2014
    HIPAA Compliance Breaches Higher Than Ever: What Are You Doing About It?
    April 26, 2016
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The Apple Watch Letdown: Healthcare’s Grand Disappointment  
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Mobile Health > The Apple Watch Letdown: Healthcare’s Grand Disappointment  
eHealthMobile HealthTechnologyWellness

The Apple Watch Letdown: Healthcare’s Grand Disappointment  

Stewart Gandolf
Stewart Gandolf
Share
4 Min Read
Apple Watch
SHARE

Apple Watch

The advance billing for the Apple watch was typically Apple-superlative. Fueled by the enthusiasm of legions of brand evangelists, the initial buzz anticipated something “revolutionary,” “life-changing” and/or “breakthrough” for health and healthcare.

Apple Watch

The advance billing for the Apple watch was typically Apple-superlative. Fueled by the enthusiasm of legions of brand evangelists, the initial buzz anticipated something “revolutionary,” “life-changing” and/or “breakthrough” for health and healthcare.

More Read

Screen Shot 2014-04-01 at 2.49.04 PM
Fundings in Medtech 2009-2014: A Contrarian View
Why You Should Be Present With Healthcare Social Media
5 Compelling Diabetes Management Technologies in the Works
Tips for Appealing to Millennials: The New Healthcare Boom Market
How New Medical Innovations Are Made

Well… It turns out that the “innovative” health-and-fitness Apple Watch is more “fitness” than “health.” Version 1.0 is an admittedly stylish gadget that has closer ties to the gym than the hospital or doctor’s office. At least in this rollout product line, Apple has not included some of the anticipated bells-and-whistles for health care.

“Apple is prepared to make a big splash with the Apple Watch, even though the device won’t live up to CEO Tim Cook’s initial vision,” reports InformationWeek. “Apple executives had hoped the Apple Watch would be a futuristic health tracker, capable of checking blood pressure, stress levels, and heart activity… [but] Apple couldn’t get these features to function properly.

“People familiar with Apple’s plans said these advanced features were unreliable, too complex, and might have even heralded government regulation. In response, Apple dropped them.”

The lofty expectations for medical providers and marketing professionals envisioned stronger digital and data connections between patient and provider. “The disappointment is more acute because of the promise the Apple watch once held,” Huffington Post observes. “As healthcare crises boil—accelerated by the aging of the global population—Apple seemed ready to put its skin in the game. They claimed they had a ‘moral obligation’ to do more with sensors.”

“From Health Care Killer App To Gold Plated Bauble…”

“The buzz was about how the Apple Watch could revolutionize healthcare, not merely shake up high fashion timepieces,” business advisor Chunka Mui writes in his article for Forbes. “Apple went on a hiring spree of numerous digital health sensor experts. This expertise, coupled with Apple’s resources and design magic, fueled hope that Apple might overcome the technical, regulatory and usability challenges to sensing and helping consumers act on vital data like blood pressure, glucose, oxygenation and stress levels.”

Waiting and watching…

The branding, marketing and design genius of Apple is predicted to inspire millions of sales of the first version of Apple Watch. Emphasis on “first version.” Many observers—those not in need of clever-but-yet-another-digital-watch—are hoping for a more fulfilling payoff from the company’s investment in health and wellness via the “next generation.”

The recent iPhone update, you may have noticed, includes a new Apple Watch app. And it’s located on your small screen near the Health app introduced last year. What’s more, the Healthkit developer tools are still likely to change your future healthcare marketing plan. Although more challenging than expected, Apple isn’t likely to abandon its vision. The much-anticipated payoff for healthcare from Apple Watch and other wearables will follow in the next, updated offering.

“While killing health care features makes Apple Watch more of a ‘nice-to-have’ device than a ‘must-have’ for patients, some have applauded Apple for playing it safe,” writes Dan Diamond in Forbes, “[with] Apple’s decision to hold off on debuting its medical-device features until those features can meet Apple’s high quality bar.”

[Photo: 2nix Studio/Shutterstock.com]

 

TAGGED:Apple Watchwearable health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Home HealthWellness

Is Your Air Freshener Bad For Your Health?

April 15, 2019
virtual medical assistant
Technology

It’s Here! VMeDx Virtual Medical Assistant Aids in Healthcare

May 5, 2024
eHealth

Sleep Monitoring at Home

June 28, 2013

Working Out Alone vs Working out in a Group: Which works best?

April 23, 2017
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?