Apple’s rumored Healthbook app: 7 things you need to know

Apple is reportedly working on a new app called Healthbook for its iOS mobile devices that would help users track and monitor various parts of their health.

9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, who first reported the app in January, provided more details on Healthbook on Monday, citing unnamed sources who are working on the app.

Here are the main things readers need to know about Healthbook:

It looks like Apple’s Passbook app

In terms of design, Healthbook is expected to look a lot like Passbook, one of Apple’s existing apps that is used to store passes from numerous iOS apps. 9to5Mac included mock-ups of the app in its report, which are based on screen shots of the app that were provided to Gurman.

It will track data pertaining to various things

The main purpose of Healthbook will be to store health-related data tracked by users. The app will be able to keep information related to users’ bloodwork, heart rate, hydration, blood pressure, physical activity, nutrition, blood sugar, sleep, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and weight.

It could highly benefit users with diabetes

Healthbook’s capabilities of tracking blood sugar could prove highly beneficial for users who have diabetes and have to check their blood sugar numerous times per week or day.

Adding blood sugar monitoring capabilities to the iPhone could make the process of checking this information much easier for users with diabetes.

To work, it may require the help of third-party apps and wearable devices

Although Healthbook will store users’ health-related information, the app will likely not get this information on its own.

9to5Mac reported that the iPhone can get some information, such as how much users walk or how active they are, using its own components. But to collect other information, like weight, users may have to input it themselves. And for information such as hydration levels and blood sugar, users may have to use a wearable device.

This is where the Apple iWatch may come into play, Gurman reported. The long-rumored Apple smartwatch may feature components capable of helping users monitor their health, and it would then forward the information to the Healthbook app.

It would include a digital emergency card

Besides tracking users’ health, Healthbook would also function as a digital emergency card for users. This means the app would store users’ emergency contact information as well their name, birth date, medication information, weight, eye color, blood type, organ donor status and location.

This information would likely be accessible from users lock screens, in case they like to protect their device with a passcode.

It is being tested for iOS 8

Although the app may still be canceled, 9to5Mac reported that it is being tested to work with iOS 8, which is Apple’s next operating system for the iPhone and iPad.

It could launch with iOS 8 or alongside a future wearable device from Apple

The timing for the launch of Healthbook is not yet known. The app could release with iOS 8, which is expected to happen some time this fall. Another possibility is that the app will launch concurrently with a wearable device by Apple, should the company sell one at some point.

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That’s all the information known so far about Healthbook. Apple could not be reached for comment.

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