Apple’s next product is going to be a smart band. Not a smart watch; a smart band. The difference is subtle, but significant: a smart watch implies that the device’s input is chiefly on its face and that its primary job is to display information to the wearer. As a long time smart band wearer, I can tell you that a smart band very rarely displays information and is much more important as an information collector, and this is where it gets interesting: Apple’s next product is going to convince you to put a device in direct contact with your skin. If they succeed in convincing you the things that can be done are limited only by the complexity of its sensors: heart rate sensors, respiration sensors, temperature sensors, vasculature visualization, non-invasive glucose monitoring, and more. This also falls in line with some of Apple’s recent hires: Roy J.E.M Raymann, Michael O’Reilly M.D., Nancy Dougherty, Ravi Narashiman, etc. This has the potential to radically change healthcare in our world. Apple’s new device could revolutionize how we think about detection and prevention, and if you ask any medical expert they will tell you that prevention and detection is orders of magnitude more important than treatment.

Manton Reece thinks that Apple needs to fall in love with their next product category, and I think he’s right, but I actually think that Apple has fallen in love with its next product which is exactly why it hasn’t launched yet. One of the problems with being in love with something that you’re developing is knowing when to ship 1.0. It needs to be right. It needs to be perfect. I have a feeling, though, that they’re getting close, and when they do finally announce it, we’re going to be amazed.