Apple gets healthy

Apple is putting together a fitness and training system based on the iPod touch and iPhone, designed to encourage users to lead a more healthy lifestyle.

The news was revealed after a set of patent filings were discovered which explained the whole system – including software similar to iTunes, which would ask users to fill in a number of fields such as weight height and physical goals.

Once a regime has been set up, it would be transferred onto the iPhone or iPod for users to train with on the go, while technology such as heart rate sensors will be able to provide additional information.

However the technology gets a little stranger, as one of the patent filings inadvisably looks at sorting out people’s social and professional lives as well as their health.

"The lifestyle companion system also can interview the user about non-health related topics, e.g., spirituality/religion, identity (e.g., sense of belonging), relationships, career, financial condition, environment, hobbies, interests, other personal information, and goals regarding the same," reads one of the patent applications, reported Apple Insider. "An identity (sense of belonging) interview may address, for example, the organizations to which the user belongs socially and/or professionally.

“A relationships interview can address, for example, the marital and/or familial status of the user. The relationship interview also can address the quality of the user’s relationships with his/her family. A career interview can address, for example, the length of time the user has worked in the present job, the user’s current occupational position, and/or the user’s level of enjoyment of the user’s occupation. A finance interview can address, for example, net wealth, credit situation, spending habits, etc. An environment interview can address, for example, the user’s home, office, clothing, transportation, fitness memberships, access to exercise equipment, etc."

With the popularity of products designed to make exercising more fun, such as Wii Fit, there is certainly a market for this kind of technology. Whether or not people are ready to be told what their computers think about their chosen religion, spouse and career path, is a different matter.