Apple Working On iPhone Features To Detect Depression, Cognitive Decline: Report

Apple, Inc. AAPL is reportedly nurturing serious ambitions to expand its presence in the health care sector. 

What Happened: Apple is working on deploying its iPhones as a diagnostic device to detect neurodegenerative conditions such as depression, anxiety and cognitive decline, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by the publication.

Apple hopes to use sensor data on mobility, physical activity, sleep patterns and typing behavior, among other factors, to test digital signals associated with target conditions, the report said.

This would help create algorithms to detect the underlying conditions reliably. 

The efforts are part of Apple's R&D partnerships with the University of California, Los Angeles, which is studying stress, anxiety and depression, and Biogen, Inc. BIIB, which is studying mild cognitive impairment.

"Seabreeze" is Apple's code name for the UCLA project and "Pi" is the code name for the Biogen project, the Journal report said.

The UCLA, study will reportedly collect data from 3,000 volunteers beginning in 2021, and Biogen intends to enroll about 20,000 people for the study over the next two years.

Creating algorithms that are sufficiently reliable to accurately diagnose specific conditions is a tall order, according to the Journal report, which added that Apple executives are excited about the possibility.

Related Link: How Preorders For Apple's iPhone 13 Models Are Tracking
Why It's Important: Apple now has apps on the iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch to provide critical health information to patients and health care providers.

Loup Ventures Managing Partner Gene Munster sees Apple's health ambitions being anchored on devices and data that can be leveraged by clinicians for care.

The company's health initiatives will be made of three building blocks: data capture, data sharing and delivering care, Munster said. 

The Apple Watch models have features such as high/low heart rate notification, irregular rhythm notification an ECG app and more.

The company is reportedly planning to include various types of monitoring — including blood pressure, temperature, sleep and blood sugar — to future versions of the Apple Watch.

AAPL Price Action: Apple shares were rising 0.72% to $143.97 midday Tuesday. 

Related Link: Why Stop At Watches? Apple Explores Turning Its Wireless Buds Into Healthcare Devices