Issue 77: An Apple a Day
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about the intersection of health and technology – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
An Apple a Day
Technology companies have made a significant push into the healthcare space over the last decade. The most visible of which has been Apple, with its myriad health offerings centered around the Apple Watch. The company’s CEO Tim Cook has said that Apple’s “greatest contribution to mankind will be in health.” That’s impressive, but the history of tech disruption a la Apple is checkered (consider the saga of Theranos if you are looking for a glaring example). Now Apple is looking to create a fully-fledged primary care medical service. Could this be the disruption the sector needs, or will it undermine faith in the medical profession as a whole?
A logical step: Apple’s plans are ambitious but not illogical. For years, the company has been collecting valuable health information about its users. With Apple-operated health clinics, the aim would be to translate this information into actual care. Last year, we wrote about how Apple Watches transformed health insurance in many countries. Using South Africa as one example, we looked at how insurance companies were subsidizing the cost of health-enabled wearables to incentivize their customers to lead healthier lives. At the time, we argued that such programs should receive additional government funding and support to benefit even more people in society.
New partnerships:Apple’s knowledge of the health sector has grown dramatically, and its products have genuinely saved lives. However, running actual medical clinics is a much different order than simply producing devices that can track health metrics. Through a partnership with Apple, countries like the UAE could build on the company’s trusted brand to create the next generation of healthcare services. With its already established medical infrastructure and budding knowledge economy, the UAE is a natural fit for such a partnership. These types of public-private partnerships could transform how society maintains high levels of health. In the post-Covid-19 world, this is more important than ever.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patients in care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
– Thomas Edison
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
A new standard? Bitcoin is now legal tender in El Salvador. El Salvador is realizing the cypherpunks’ dream by outsourcing the country’s monetary policy to a decentralized network of computers. But what will the move mean for the rest of the emerging world? This week, we took a deep dive into this historic development.
Taking flight:Some parts of the world are opening up (finally!), which means that more of us are jumping on airplanes. To say that the airline industry had a rough year would be an understatement, but now that people are flying again, we decided to take stock of the sector and chart where the next innovations will take shape. Here’s a hint: we are about to see supersonic airplanes running on clean biofuel. Exciting times ahead!
A MESSAGE FROM SQUADX
The way we work is changing. Innovators must think outside the box and find solutions to the rapid production cycles of the digital age. Sometimes that means hitting the ground running with an expert team ready to deliver. Augmented, not outsourced, teams share knowledge across the organization, delivering dual benefits of speed and know-how while leadership stays focused on the larger issues at play. Discover what we’re doing at SquadX, a Xische company, to unlock results with the power of teams.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Toxic deadlines: Wellness in the age of constant connection is an essential theme throughout our content. The New Yorker published a long and detailed look into how deadlines have changed our mental outlook. The piece, which is long but worth it, asks a simple but critical question. Can we find a balance between structuring our time and squandering it?
Are they out there? The US government just released a highly anticipated report on unidentified aerial phenomena (which used to be known as UFOs). While the government didn’t say that the crafts were extraterrestrial, the report didn’t rule out the possibility. What is clear is that the debate about whether we are alone in the universe is only going to intensify in the coming years.
QUICK HITS
The birthplace of Mr. Peanut.
Are plants like other animals?
Tech companies go after renewable energy.