Apple continues push to make Apple Watch the ultimate all-in-one medical device

Apple is continuing work on making Apple Watch the ultimate health-tracking wrist computer, but it could take years as the company confronts technical puzzles and patent-wielding – some say patent-trolling – competitors as it tries to create an all-in-one health wearable.

Dalvin Brown and Aaron Tilley for The Wall Street Journal:
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This month’s suspension of Apple Watch sales was the starkest sign yet that the world’s most valuable tech company is treading new ground as it adds health features to the device. While Apple on Wednesday won a temporary reprieve to resume sales, specialists in medical devices say the technical and legal challenges are likely to continue.

For years, Apple has enhanced the gadget with potentially lifesaving monitors for atrial fibrillation, falls and blood-oxygen issues—raising its appeal for an aging population.

Many medical professionals envision a day when devices like the Apple Watch could also allow users to track blood pressure without the need for a bulky cuff, or blood sugar without the pain of skin punctures.

B?ut for that, customers might have to wait. Just as Apple has been a pioneer in personal electronics, companies large and small that have been working in the healthcare tech space for years have their own intellectual property — and lawyers.

“Apple is entering into a new space where their own innovation engine isn’t as up to speed,” said Andrei Iancu, a former director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office who stepped down in 2021. “As a result, they might have the need for using other people’s technology.”
Potential

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MacDailyNews Take: Acquire, acquire, acquire! Apple has enough money to acquire everything they need and more for every single product line currently sold and for those to come.
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