Apple has launched its first major health research project called the Apple Health Study, which aims to explore how device data can monitor and predict changes in users’ health. The study will analyze data from devices like iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches, as well as examine connections between different components of health.
According to Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of health, the study will “accelerate our understanding of health and technology across the human body.” Users can participate in the study voluntarily through the company’s Research app and select which data types they are willing to share with researchers. Participants can also stop sharing or discontinue their participation at any time.
The study is being conducted in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. The project will last for at least five years and may expand beyond that. Dr. Calum MacRae, the principal investigator of the study, believes that “we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of how technology can improve our understanding of human health.”
The Apple Health Study is the latest in a series of ongoing health research projects launched by Apple in 2019, including the Apple Women’s Health Study, the Apple Hearing Study, and the Apple Heart and Movement Study. These studies have inspired many of the company’s recent health-related features, such as its hearing test.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/12/apple-launches-apple-health-study-with-brigham-and-womens-hospital.html