Apple’s New Feature for Mental Health Apple is Planning to Develop a New Feature that Detects Mental Health Issues
By William Garcia O’Leary
Position: Staff Writer
Apple plans to create a new feature that will help future iPhones detect users’ mental health issues.
Today, phones are used for everything, so why not mental health? According to TechCrunch, Apple recognizes the importance of mental health and is reportedly working on ways to have iPhones recognize and potentially warn users of those issues.
In order to develop such an advanced feature, Apple and its products will be involved in multiple research projects to determine if individuals with mental health issues use their iPhones differently than those who do not suffer from mental health issues.
According to the Wall Street Journal, these research projects plan to examine an array of sensor data, including activities, sleeping patterns and typing behaviors that could help indicate habits that are common with individuals who have mental health issues.
While it will take some time before iPhones can inform users of possible mental health issues, researchers hope that including this new feature in future iPhones will lead to the devices being able to help someone who has been dealing with anxiety or depression, according to TechCrunch. Ideally, future iPhones could alert users that they are displaying mental health symptoms and encourage users to reach out to a therapist.
This new feature highlights Apple’s ongoing desire to have its products help people remain aware of their overall health.
Apple products can often make users aware of potential health issues, like how Apple Watch tracks users’ heart rates to detect chest pains or pressure tightness that could indicate possible future heart attacks.
Many Lynn students are excited for Apple products to now have a feature that focuses on mental health.
“Because of how often technology is used it makes more sense to have an app where people can release how they feel and can talk about it and feel safe and comfortable,” said Lynn student Carly Sobel.
“I’m glad some company is finally doing something about this serious illness because it needs to be talked about way more on the media or billboards to spread awareness,” said Stevie Giamalis, another student from Lynn University.
A photoshopped image on a website called Mic. Photo/M. Ehrenkranz A photoshopped image on a website called Mic. Photo/M. Ehrenkranz Apple tells us that it can also connect with your Apple watch. Photo/Apple Inc.
