Apple could enter a fresh hardware product category for the first time since the Apple Watch with a new, “revolutionary” piece of hardware focused on health-tracking, various reports suggest.
Apparently first to break this news was Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, which says that the mysterious new product, reportedly now over two years in the making, will “accurately collect users’ personal daily life including heart rate, pulse, blood sugar changes and other information.”
The report also claims that Apple is currently tapping suppliers as it seeks to finalize the product, apparently developed by a health-focused team overseen by technical director Jay Blahnik, ahead of a 2017 launch. TSMC, Foxconn and TPK are among suppliers said to be on board.
Also suggested is that the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch technology that debuted with the iPhone 6S series will be integral to the new product – which, EDN claims, could help “set off a new whirlwind” in the tech sector. Japanese blog Macotakara has hinted that a “revolutionary” power supply could also feature.
There has been no mention of what form factor the new device will take. However, with the product rumored – says AppleInsider – to be a first-generation device, we can probably assume that it will not simply be a more sophisticated version of the iPhone or Apple Watch. Both of these product lines have already, in recent years, been increasingly updated to gradually expand their capabilities for monitoring health.