Dr. Sumbul Desai’s job is to think creatively about the different ways that technology can improve health. As Vice President of Health at Apple, she starts with strong data from studies the company conducts with academic institutes, the American Heart Association, and the World Health Organization to understand which metrics give the best window into overall health. Apple received approval in 2024 to turn the iPhone into a professional-grade hearing test, and AirPods Pro 2 got the go-ahead to function as hearing aids with just a few in-app adjustments.
In 2024, the Apple Watch was also cleared by the FDA for detecting sleep apnea. These features build on other functions that Apple pioneered in recent years such as performing electrocardiograms and tracking heart rhythms, blood oxygen levels, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and falls through the Apple Watch.
“We want to make health approachable, not scary, and empower you with health information so you can be more proactive about staying healthy,” says Desai. “We can democratize different aspects of health that you traditionally go to the clinic for.”