Apple argues it is a major force in healthcare world   

New report points to company's existing services — from sleep monitoring and fitness classes to atrial-fibrillation detection and cycle tracking — and promises to build on that foundation

Apple is arguing that it is a pioneer in health technology and positioned to use it as a growth driver in the years ahead.

Tech giant Apple published a nearly 60-page report outlining all its health features and partnerships with medical institutions, arguing such offerings are key to the tech giant’s future.

The company pointed to its breadth of existing services — from sleep monitoring and fitness classes to atrial-fibrillation detection and cycle tracking — and promised to build on that foundation. 

Chief operating officer Jeff Williams, who oversees Apple’s health endeavours, said the company would continue to innovate in “science-based technology”.  

“The health innovations we’ve pioneered have aimed to help break down barriers between users and their own everyday health data, between health-care providers and patients, and between researchers and study participants,” he said.

The report serves as a response to Apple critics, who have knocked the company for not doing as much as rivals in healthcare. Though the Apple Watch dominates the market, the device has not always been given novel health features as quickly as competitors’ products. 

And fellow tech titans such as Amazon and Google have made ambitious forays into the medical field — with mixed results.

Apple is arguing that it is a pioneer in health technology and positioned to use it as a growth driver in the years ahead. 

Already, fitness features are a major selling point for the Apple Watch, and the company plans to add capabilities related to women’s health and body-temperature monitoring as part of a new lineup coming this year. Apple is also working on technologies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring.

Health technology is one of several categories that Apple hopes will help maintain sales growth. The company is also working on a mixed-reality headset for next year, along with augmented reality glasses, foldable devices and a self-driving electric car.

While the company does not charge for its health features directly, the enhancements could help fuel sales of future devices. 

Cracking health services has been a challenging task for Silicon Valley companies. Google shuttered its dedicated health unit last year, though it does own companies in the space, such as Verily and Fitbit. 

Amazon has made strides, including with an online pharmacy service and partnerships with in-person healthcare providers. Samsung, meanwhile, has its own health app and offers some similar features to Apple. 

• Bloomberg