Samsung Galaxy S8 could get updated S Health app to counter Apple's HealthKit, CareKit

Posted:
in iPhone
Samsung's next flagship phone, the Galaxy S8, could include a new S Health app with features above and beyond Apple's HealthKit and CareKit -- including the ability to schedule online consultations with doctors, or even pay medical fees.




Video appointments with doctors should be available around the clock, SamMobile claimed on Monday. The option will reportedly stem from partnerships with companies like Amwell and WebMD, which should also let people hunt for information on symptoms, illnesses, and medications.

The patient-doctor focus is expected to extend down to appointment details, letting people save symptoms, photos, and prescriptions, and rate doctors as well as pay them. People could flag whether or not they have insurance.

More minor features may include the ability to find local pharmacies, or dial 911 without switching to the phone app.




While offering activity and biometrics tracking like Apple's Health app, S Health is intended to be even more comprehensive, letting people track nutrition and get fitness tips, to the extent of suggesting exercise programs like building up to a 5K run.

The rumored new features are most similar to CareKit, which Apple introduced for iOS devices just last year. Apple's platform, though, is aimed strictly at letting people track their treatment and share that information with physicians. Last week, the company announced a partnership with Tresorit to improve encryption.

While the S Health update is expected to debut alongside the Galaxy S8 -- which could be announced at Mobile World Congress in late February -- SamMobile suggested that the timing isn't certain.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Step 1: place phone in lead-lined box.
    anantksundaramchiawatto_cobraMal_RStrangeDays[Deleted User]
  • Reply 2 of 27
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Not gonna work against Apple. I almost feel sorry for the few idiots who will share their medical data.

    why's Sammy still running android?
    melodyof1974watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 27
    ireland said:
    Step 1: place phone in lead-lined box.
    Step 2:  Bury the box containing the device in a cement-filled pit.
    anantksundaramwatto_cobraStrangeDays
  • Reply 4 of 27
    Poor ole Samsung mobile. Never an original idea. Galaxy S8 to come with new ringtone called 'my cheating ways'. 
    calianantksundaramwatto_cobraMal_R
  • Reply 5 of 27
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    edited January 2017 gatorguy
  • Reply 6 of 27
    Snip quote... "Video appointments with doctors should be available around the clock, SamMobile claimed on Monday."

    As if doctors aren't hard pressed enough to have to be 'on video call' 24/7. I read that in the UK, for example, there are waiting times of up to three weeks just for an appointment to see one's GP, whether you think you're dying, or not!
  • Reply 7 of 27
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    Are you being tongue-in-cheek here?

    If not, I honestly don't know what you're talking about: I find the comments here (as I did the story from a little earlier about Samsung finding the cause of their problems) to be both witty and insightful.
    melodyof1974caliStrangeDaysjordanjones3fastasleeptrashman69
  • Reply 8 of 27
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I don't mind competition as long as the result is as secure as Apple's products. We know Android is openly insecure, that's how it's designed. What I don't understand is why any medical related company would even think twice about working with any Android based mobile device when they should know the patients information will not be secure. There will be those who will say anything can be hacked but we're getting to the point where some products are very difficult, if not nearly impossible, to hack, at least not without user intervention (phishing). Mel you know this is true so supporting a cheap, insecure, knockoff-producing company like Samsung, owned by documented criminals gives this website more of a bad rep than people speaking their mind, which, of course, is a guaranteed right in the US (as long as they're not violating various aspects of the law).
    caliwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 27
    davendaven Posts: 696member
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I agree while noting that Android users bash Apple when it implements features that originated somewhere else. There is hypocrisy in both camps.
  • Reply 10 of 27
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    daven said:
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I agree while noting that Android users bash Apple when it implements features that originated somewhere else. There is hypocrisy in both camps.
    Far from it. take away iPhone and none of this exists. If Apple does something slightly similar the knockoff users scream "copy!" White typing from their fake iPhone.

    problem is Samsung steals, has nothing to do with "competition". You don't see this outside of Apple markets.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 27
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    rob53 said:
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I don't mind competition as long as the result is as secure as Apple's products. We know Android is openly insecure, that's how it's designed. What I don't understand is why any medical related company would even think twice about working with any Android based mobile device when they should know the patients information will not be secure. 
    Can't speak for whatever Samsung is doing but no we DON'T know Android is openly insecure, altho I would completely agree that in practice iOS is generally MORE secure in many areas.  I think you're basing your opinion on a few largely click-bait articles on your favored blogs rather than any vetted studies.

    Android security issues are generally due to some specific OEM's changes/modifications to stock Android, worsened by failing to maintain those customization's with monthly Google supplied security updates even if the OS itself doesn't get updated. It's not necessarily Android with security issues but the way it's used by some companies. 

    The world's most secure smartphones are built on Google's Android operating system, all of them AFAIK. But that doesn't equate to ALL Android phones being as secure as the best of them.  
    edited January 2017
  • Reply 12 of 27
    Samsung may put out something that attempts to approximate what Apple has done. Samsung fans could even point to parity on paper. But it won't go anywhere, due to (1) Android security holes and (2) not having the critical mass that Apple now has behind ResearchKit and CareKit.
  • Reply 13 of 27
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    melgross said:

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    The fact that every other story here used to be about Samsung, even when it wasn't related to Apple gave this site a bad rep. Why do you think some people kept calling this site SamsungInsider?

    Example:
    http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/09/28/government-agency-issues-warning-over-exploding-samsung-washing-machines

    So sometimes this site does it to itself...
    StrangeDayscali
  • Reply 14 of 27
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    gatorguy said:
    rob53 said:
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I don't mind competition as long as the result is as secure as Apple's products. We know Android is openly insecure, that's how it's designed. What I don't understand is why any medical related company would even think twice about working with any Android based mobile device when they should know the patients information will not be secure. 
    Can't speak for whatever Samsung is doing but no we DON'T know Android is openly insecure, altho I would completely agree that in practice iOS is generally MORE secure in many areas.  I think you're basing your opinion on a few largely click-bait articles on your favored blogs rather than any vetted studies.

    Android security issues are generally due to some specific OEM's changes/modifications to stock Android, worsened by failing to maintain those customization's with monthly Google supplied security updates even if the OS itself doesn't get updated. It's not necessarily Android with security issues but the way it's used by some companies. 

    The world's most secure smartphones are built on Google's Android operating system, all of them AFAIK. But that doesn't equate to ALL Android phones being as secure as the best of them.  
    Check out http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/mobility/Pages/index.aspx This is the DoD list of approved STIGs (Security Technical Implementation Guide). If your device doesn't appear on this list, it generally isn't approved for use on any US government system. Does that make it secure? It makes it securable to a level that the DoD is willing to accept risk for. iOS 10 is on that list and has been there since at least iOS 6-7. There are two Android-based STIGs, one for an LG implementation and one for Samsung as long as it uses the Knox implementation (I remember reading that the Knox software was broken so I'm not sure if this implementation is still being used). Blackberry is still listed but most of its implementations have to do with their BES servers. The rest of the STIGs are mainly for MDM systems. 

    The US Government started to go away from custom, proprietary computer hardware to OTS systems probably 20 years ago because of cost factors. I've sure there are still custom systems in use that might use Android, but it's not the same Android that's being used in 95-99% of consumer computer systems. 

    Apple worked with DISA to provide technical input for their STIGs. Download them and you'll see what is necessary to provide and maintain an acceptable level of security not only for DoD but also for DOE and other US government departments. The STIGs include the necessary MDM configurations. This work has been done over many years and, incidentally, I was involved in the early work of begging getting Apple to participate in these as well as SCAP configurations. (You'll need to look that one up.) I worked for a DOE contractor for 33 years making sure a variety of systems were secure. I retired 3 years ago and haven't kept up with this field for obvious reasons. 

    My comment about Android being openly insecure was a bit sarcastic but all you have to do is look at how it's being implemented and how easy it is to hack on the vast majority of devices and you'll see that my exaggeration isn't that far off. Of course, programmers can take any version of unix and make it secure but many times security gets in the way of usability and since usability sells, many companies have dropped security so they can sell products as well as grab data to sell on the side (Google's primary business model). The one company that appears to put security first, and stand behind it, is Apple. Just talk to the FBI......
  • Reply 15 of 27
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I really disagree. After years of reading disparaging remarks about Apple over practically anything on nearly ever other tech site, including supposed Apple sites, I have no problem reading disparaging remarks about Samsung's phone that LITERALLY BLOWS ITSELF UP. It doesn't give this site a bad name at all -- this is an Apple site whether you guys realize that or not, and I'm glad for it. 
    calijSnively
  • Reply 16 of 27
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    Everyone loves competition, but what Samsung does isn't competition, and this is why they attract ridicule.

    Samsung seem entirely unwilling to engage originality. This isn't a small statement concerning the iPhone or Apple's technological interests, but a much wider statement regarding all of Samsung's products. Samsung don't aim to enhance the marketplace by providing genuine innovation or their own unique point of view - their core business is to copy market leaders and skirt around IP laws, acting like a parasite for cash. Despite this being a time of incredible new technologies which could significantly differentiate their portfolio.

    This originality problem applies to nearly every Samsung endeavour: it's at best a copy of the market leader and unsurprisingly this insincere duplication frequently leads to a product that is not only poorly designed, but dangerous. (The list of Samsung recalls is large: Microwaves, washing machines etc.)
    One only need to walk into a white-goods department store to see Samsung clones of every other successful brand's appliance. Electrolux, Dyson, Bosch etc, the list goes on. It's almost a game to see who they are copying with each.

    The competition that you're talking about is still present in the marketplace, but it doesn't come from Samsung. Just recently we've seen Microsoft introduce some interesting new products that, despite their flaws, are clearly the result of original thinking. In time these could turn into great workhorses and serve a market that Apple does not currently address.

    The reality is that Apple don't have a device for every kind of user out there, and that's ok. But if you think Samsung are filling that market void, then you are terribly mistaken.
    anantksundaramcali
  • Reply 17 of 27
    Between exploding phones and the arrest of top execs, how does Sammy have time for this?
    cali
  • Reply 18 of 27
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,007member
    I presume their health data will have extensive information burn treatments...
    anantksundaramcali
  • Reply 19 of 27
    cali said:

    You don't see this outside of Apple markets.
    Entirely true.  This is why every auto manufacturers' cars are completely different from every other manufacturers' models.
    gatorguy
  • Reply 20 of 27
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    rob53 said:
    gatorguy said:
    rob53 said:
    melgross said:
    Well, this is what competition is about. Every company tries to protect its core market, and move into another company's market. As long as they're not stealing code, or copyrighted material, it's fine. How well it does, is something we'll find out.

    and I wish that some of you guys could keep these discussions to serious matters instead of the done to death Note 7 problems. That just gives this site a bad rep everywhere.
    I don't mind competition as long as the result is as secure as Apple's products. We know Android is openly insecure, that's how it's designed. What I don't understand is why any medical related company would even think twice about working with any Android based mobile device when they should know the patients information will not be secure. 
    Can't speak for whatever Samsung is doing but no we DON'T know Android is openly insecure, altho I would completely agree that in practice iOS is generally MORE secure in many areas.  I think you're basing your opinion on a few largely click-bait articles on your favored blogs rather than any vetted studies.

    Android security issues are generally due to some specific OEM's changes/modifications to stock Android, worsened by failing to maintain those customization's with monthly Google supplied security updates even if the OS itself doesn't get updated. It's not necessarily Android with security issues but the way it's used by some companies. 

    The world's most secure smartphones are built on Google's Android operating system, all of them AFAIK. But that doesn't equate to ALL Android phones being as secure as the best of them.  
    Check out http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/mobility/Pages/index.aspx This is the DoD list of approved STIGs (Security Technical Implementation Guide). If your device doesn't appear on this list, it generally isn't approved for use on any US government system. Does that make it secure? It makes it securable to a level that the DoD is willing to accept risk for. iOS 10 is on that list and has been there since at least iOS 6-7. There are two Android-based STIGs, one for an LG implementation and one for Samsung as long as it uses the Knox implementation (I remember reading that the Knox software was broken so I'm not sure if this implementation is still being used). Blackberry is still listed but most of its implementations have to do with their BES servers. The rest of the STIGs are mainly for MDM systems. 

    The US Government started to go away from custom, proprietary computer hardware to OTS systems probably 20 years ago because of cost factors. I've sure there are still custom systems in use that might use Android, but it's not the same Android that's being used in 95-99% of consumer computer systems. 

    Apple worked with DISA to provide technical input for their STIGs. Download them and you'll see what is necessary to provide and maintain an acceptable level of security not only for DoD but also for DOE and other US government departments. The STIGs include the necessary MDM configurations. This work has been done over many years and, incidentally, I was involved in the early work of begging getting Apple to participate in these as well as SCAP configurations. (You'll need to look that one up.) I worked for a DOE contractor for 33 years making sure a variety of systems were secure. I retired 3 years ago and haven't kept up with this field for obvious reasons. 

    My comment about Android being openly insecure was a bit sarcastic but all you have to do is look at how it's being implemented and how easy it is to hack on the vast majority of devices and you'll see that my exaggeration isn't that far off. Of course, programmers can take any version of unix and make it secure but many times security gets in the way of usability and since usability sells, many companies have dropped security so they can sell products as well as grab data to sell on the side (Google's primary business model). The one company that appears to put security first, and stand behind it, is Apple. Just talk to the FBI......
    Very well argued, and it looks like we largely agree that the security issue isn't Android but any particular implementation of if by OEM's. It's a tough balancing act to offer user convenience features like product research, travel plans, daily commutes, universal reminders/notes and the like while minimizing the use of that person's use history to do so. 

    It would probably come as a shock to some who have bought into the Android-can't-be-secure malware-infestation stories to learn how secure Android can be, which is a reason every phone (AFAIK) on this list runs it.
    http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/53806/digital-id/secure-smartphones.html
    edited January 2017
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