Source: Apple Inc.
Apple plans to introduce a new paid health service alongside a blood pressure sensor and a system for detecting sleep apnea in the Apple Watch next year, according to a report from Bloomberg Wednesday.
The paid health coaching service could provide a new area for Apple to develop recurring subscription revenues. The app will reportedly recommend workouts, presumably through its paid Fitness+ app, and eating plans.
Apple’s services business is its second largest, behind the iPhone. It generated $19.6 billion in revenue during the third quarter, up 12% year over year. The health coaching service could help the segment continue to grow.
Apple’s blood pressure sensor will reportedly detect when a user’s blood pressure is elevated, though it won’t show their exact measurements. Apple is working on introducing specific diastolic and systolic metrics in a future watch, the report said. There’s been speculation for years that Apple will eventually add blood pressure sensing to the Apple Watch. Wearables from competitors like Samsung, for example, already offer the option in some markets. Healthcare companies like Omron also already offer watches that can monitor blood pressure.
Next year’s Apple Watch will also reportedly monitor breathing and sleeping habits to predict if a person has sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops and starts during the night. The watch will reportedly recommend talking to a doctor if it detects potential sleep apnea.
Apple did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
