Apple Watch 2 release date news: major improvements to health apps expected

While Apple has yet to provide details on the upcoming second-gen Apple Watch, it is said that the new wearable will have major improvements over its predecessor, particularly in its health apps.

Time reports that one of the main factors in how the Apple Watch came to be is Apple founder Steve Jobs's battle with pancreatic cancer. Reportedly, Jobs found out that the healthcare industry and the medical field in general have disorderly routes, particularly when it comes to healthcare technology.

The development of this healthcare initiative will be evident once the Apple Watch 2 launches, allegedly by September. The Cupertino-based company has even employed seven full-time nurses with medical monitoring equipment to further enhance and improve the health apps in the upcoming wearable. In addition, continuous stream of Apple employees with varying degrees of conditions ensure that a wider range of health-related data can be integrated and featured in the Apple Watch 2.

A new and improved Apple Watch 2 is not just a realization of Jobs' dream, but also one of the key points for the company itself. According to a white paper by Business Insider, the Apple Watch lineup is expected to corner at least 40 percent of luxury smartwatch sales by 2020. This means a significant chunk of the users in the $350 and above wearable market prefers the Apple wearable.

Meanwhile, not only will the apps be improved in the Apple Watch 2, but the wearable itself will get major upgrades in both design and specs. According to Alphr, one of the rumored changes in the next wearable is that the Apple Watch 2 may work independently from an iPhone (unlike the current iteration). This means that the next Apple Watch will be a stand-alone device rather than an iPhone accessory.

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