Apple Opens Up 3 Health Studies with New Research App

Apple launched a new app called Research yesterday as a follow up to the Apple Watch Heart Study from a couple years ago, which I imagine was a key influence on the Apple Watch Series 4 including a built-in ECG.

US-based users can participate in any of the three studies offered so far:

• Women’s Health
• Heart and Movement
• Hearing

9to5Mac summarizes:

The Women’s Health study draws data from the Cycle Tracking app on watchOS 6 with the aim to improve scientific understand of menstrual cycles. The Heart and Movement Study uses a variety of signals from the watch, including movement and health rate information. The Hearing Study examines the impact of sound exposure on hearing health and stress levels.

I had participated in the Apple Watch Heart Study when it was available, so I went ahead and signed up to contribute data to the Heart and Movement study, and I’ll likely participate in the Hearing study, as well, since I wear an Apple Watch Series 4, which has the ability to measure decibels with its microphone.

I think these studies are very beneficial to helping devices like the Apple Watch truly help people in regards to their health. (And yes, they will undoubtedly be beneficial to Apple’s bottom line, too).

I, for one, am a sucker for the videos Apple sometimes puts out about how the Apple Watch has really saved people. It makes me happy that I wear a device that monitors my heart and can detect a fall (especially living in a climate that is covered in ice for months). You never know when you may need the extra insight, and it could vastly improve or even save your life.

So if you feel inclined, download the Research app and check out the different studies offered. If you feel comfortable with the privacy policy, contribute your data.

¶ The Wonders of Working Out Wirelessly

For the past several years I have diligently gone to the gym every Tuesday and Thursday evening. It's rare for me to miss. I've become one of the "regulars". The staff know me and I frequently see the same familiar faces working out nearby.

The entire time I've been going to the gym my wrist has been adorned by an Apple Watch. First the original (Series 0), then the Series 2, and nowadays the Series 4. It has been my faithful companion, tracking my calories burned and exercise minutes.

I like to listen to podcasts while I work out, and in the early days I used my iPhone and the wired EarPods that came with them. There's just really no good place to put a phone while you work out, especially when it is tethered to your ears via a 3.5 foot cable. And pockets on gym shorts are a recipe for having your phone slide right out and onto the floor. And as phones have become larger, armbands have become more and more cumbersome.

The advent of the original AirPods nearly three years ago changed everything. Getting rid of the wire brought more freedom and far less worry while working out. I was able to just set my phone down with my towel and do my workout.

And then about a year ago with the Apple Watch Series 4 and watchOS 5’s ability to have full-fledged podcast apps, working out wirelessly finally hit its stride. These days I transfer some podcasts to my Apple Watch using Overcast, then I leave my iPhone in my locker. I pair my AirPods to my Watch, and I don’t have to think about anything else. It’s just my Watch, my AirPods, and me.

What’s really great is that because my gym has Wi-Fi, any text messages I receive relay from my phone to my watch, and I can have Siri read them to me and I can dictate a reply — all while on an elliptical.

The Apple Watch and AirPods are a real dynamic duo when it comes to working out, and every year they keep getting better.

US Veterans Can Now Access VA Health Records with iPhone Health App→

Apple Newsroom:

Apple and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that veterans across the nation and surrounding territories now have access to the Health Records feature in the Health app on iPhone. The VA gradually launched Health Records to select patients this summer, and now veterans who are iOS users and receive their care through the Veterans Health Administration can see a fuller, more comprehensive picture of their health that includes information from multiple providers.

The Health Records feature of the Health app on iPhone isn’t new, but it is interesting and still gaining traction. For instance, there are a few specialty clinics in my city that offer access, but none of the major healthcare providers do. Go an hour northeast to Omaha and some of the larger healthcare providers there have embraced Health Records integration.

Partnering with the VA is a big leap in bringing this feature to more people, and hopefully this move will get even more providers moving toward offering this as an option to their patients.

Getting it set up looks to be very straightforward, too.

By signing into their providers’ patient portals in the Health app, veterans can see all of their health records in one place, including medications, immunizations, lab results and more. The Health app continually updates these records giving VA patients access to a single, integrated snapshot of their health profile whenever they want, quickly and privately.