We just covered a report that suggested Apple will include several new features in iOS 8, including a new Healthbook application for health monitoring, TextEdit and Preview. Now we’re already being treated to screenshots that 9to5Mac says it has confirmed are legitimate. The pictures were posted on the social network Weibo by a previously unknown source, but are very telling.
If there was any doubt that Apple is going to focus on health in the future, we can lay those concerns to rest. If these shots really are legitimate, then Apple does actually have a Healthbook application planned that will reportedly allow you to monitor your vitals. That also points yet again to the development of the iWatch that will keep track of your fitness activities, heart rate and more. With Healthbook, you’ll be able to view all of the information in real time in addition to a log – similar to what Samsung is already doing with S Health 3.0 on the Galaxy S5 and with its new Gear smartwatch and Gear Fit products.
TextEdit and Preview, as 9to5Mac explained earlier today, will allow you to view documents created on OS X and stored on the iCloud, but won’t let you edit them. You’ll notice the rest of the interface looks relatively unchanged, that’s because we aren’t expecting a drastic redesign between iOS 7 and iOS 8, as we did with the move from iOS 6 to iOS 7. There’s an added icon for “Tips,” but we don’t know what that is for right now. Maybe it’s for tips on how to use iOS 8 and some of the new features, like what Healthbook offers.
The new mobile operating system is expected to launch later this year, presumably around September when Apple typically releases its latest iPhone. If Healthbook launches at the same time, then we can expect an iWatch around the same time, if not before.
