Exploring the Latest Features of the iOS 17 Health App

Smartphones are a part of our daily lives, connecting us to friends and family worldwide. Now, Apple's new iOS 17 Health App will even let us monitor many aspects of our health.

Apple's Health app was developed to help users manage vital health data and make it accessible in a single, safe location. In iOS 17, which will be released on September 18, Apple introduced several significant updates to the Health app, mainly to assist iPhone owners in taking care of aging parents and other people who might require further medical supervision and assistance.

Although Apple's adoption of AI technology coincides with the debut of the iPhone 15, it is a logical move for the corporation. Competitors like Google Pixel have already made significant strides in this field, making it difficult for Apple to catch up.

The possibilities of the AI system are anticipated to go beyond individualized fitness and wellness programs. Apple intends to use this technology to track user emotions through speech and text message analysis, a feature many people find to be intrusive.

The program may detect human emotions like happiness, sadness, and tension just by listening to spoken words. Even while this possibility can be frightening to some, it demonstrates the enormous potential of AI in comprehending and addressing human well-being.

Additionally, there are extra features like walking steadiness measurements and enhancements to how lab results are presented, along with broad sharing tools that allow users to keep an eye on the health data of a loved one.

Recent health issues with Apple products

While anticipating the newest iPhone 15 and iOS 17, Apple has faced some controversy regarding radio frequency levels on its model 12. A French watchdog's dispute over the iPhone 12's radiation exposure restrictions caused problems for Apple, which is the first time such a move has impacted the tech giant.

After the authority suspended sales due to violations of European Union radiation exposure restrictions, Apple defended its model on September 13. The French action increased the likelihood of other bans across Europe.

In addition to being in close communication with French authorities, Germany's network regulator BNetzA stated it may initiate similar legal action. At the same time, the OCU consumer organization in Spain requested Spanish authorities to ban the sale of the iPhone 12.

In a statement, Apple claimed that the 2020-released iPhone 12 had received certification from several international organizations as meeting all applicable radiation standards.

The tech mogul also claimed that it had provided the French agency with numerous Apple and outside lab results demonstrating the phone's compliance and was contesting its conclusions. Over the last two decades, several studies have evaluated the health concerns of mobile phones.

The World Health Organization reports that there is currently no evidence linking mobile phone use to any adverse health impacts. After tests, according to France's Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR), revealed that the iPhone 12's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), a measurement of the rate at which the body absorbs radiofrequency energy from a piece of equipment, was higher than permitted, the agency ordered Apple to stop selling the device in France.

"From a health and safety point of view, it is not as if this is putting anyone at risk," says the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) chair, Professor Rodney Croft.

The watchdog stated that if wholesalers and Apple outlets did not stop selling the device, it would be necessary to recall any iPhone 12s already sold to customers.

Forty-two sales across the nation have been halted as a result of smartphone radiation tests so far.

While older Apple products are being challenged for health safety, newer Apple products and updates may lead to healthier solutions.

What features will the new iOS 17 offer?

The latest update comes with a laundry list of updates that may be beneficial for users and for doctors alike.

• Walking Steadiness: A new health indicator uses information gleaned from an iPhone to estimate how likely someone is to trip and fall. Using variables like walking speed, step length, and walking asymmetry data, it employs algorithms that evaluate balance, strength, and gait. Users of iPhones can choose to get notifications when the danger of walking steadiness is high. Additionally, the function provides specially selected walking stability workouts.
• Lab Result Improvements: Now that lab data have been imported into the Health app from a healthcare provider, there is much more information available about what the lab tests are for, what the result means, and how the result compares to earlier tests. Users can quickly determine if something is off thanks to the clear image it offers on whether a test result is typical or outside of range. The health summary includes lab highlights, and significant labs can be pinned for easy reference.
• COVID-19 Vaccines and Test Results: Digital storage of COVID-19 immunization records is supported by iOS 17. iPhone users may submit their immunization data to the Health app by scanning a QR code that healthcare organizations or governments can supply. Results from the COVID-19 test are likewise in favor.
• Blood Glucose Highlights: People who track their blood sugar levels can see highlights of their blood sugar levels when they sleep and exercise. Apple has integrated interactive charts to make it simpler for customers to monitor and understand their blood glucose data.
• Health Trends: The Trend function in the Health app analyzes shared data and gives quick information on how health measures like heart rate and activity level are developing. Users of iOS 17 have the option to get notifications when a new trend in health data is found.
• Sharing Information: The iOS 17 Health app includes several sharing options for sharing your health information with your family. Health information may be shared with others so that family members can communicate health information or a youngster can better care for an older parent. iPhone users can share various health information, such as information about their activities, vital signs, lab results, medical ID, cycle monitoring, research projects, and more.
• Sharing Notifications: In addition to sending warnings for high heart rates and abnormal heart rhythms, Apple will send notifications when shared health information is changed. Apple cautions that alerts are only sometimes quick and may appear after some time. To help individuals who need it, notifications can also be issued for substantial changes in shared data categories, including a sharp fall in activity or sleep.
• Share Your Health Data With Healthcare Providers: Hospitals and medical facilities that use Apple's Health Records feature can register to gain access to patient information. From there, patients may decide whether or not to give their doctors access to their data, which is then available on a dashboard within the health provider's electronic medical record system

Overall, the Health app makes it simple to store crucial data on the phone, such as medical histories, prescriptions, test results, exercise, and sleep. Additionally, it makes it simple to transfer such information securely.

It gathers health and fitness information from the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch's built-in sensors, compatible third-party hardware, and HealthKit-enabled applications.