Don't take Apple Tablets for healthcare…yet

Donna Cusano

It is now confirmed that the long awaited iSlate, Apple Tablet or whatever Steve Jobs will dub it will be announced this Wednesday 27 Jan.  This editor is mentioning this only because of the early word (see earlier article) indicating testing in hospitals and clinical use for connected health.  The hype has settled down to checking email and reading ‘old media’–news, books and other materials–TV and gaming.  In other words, repackaging and reselling content, much as the iPod did with music (WSJ).  And the latest is that Apple is negotiating with both Verizon and AT&T for connectivity and distribution (on their separate CDMA and GSM networks). Fox News.  So does that mean no Tablet for healthcare?  If the model is the iPhone…shaking my Magic 8Ball…it will be consumer first, medical second.  Stay tuned.