Sharing genetic information from your iPhone could be as easy as taking a selfie.
How far can we go with the iPhone or with mobile technology on any platform? Many have surely asked themselves the same question and have started creating a list of future features that Apple could bring to market, such as the ability to share genetic information, something that is already in the company's projects.
Does this sound terrifying or like something out of a science fiction movie? We can't doubt it, but what Apple seems to be aiming for is for users to be able to send their DNA data to a company-approved lab in conjunction with third parties to conduct studies and help scientists and hospitals perform a wide range of tests, with the data then accessible from the device. This doesn't mean the company will be collecting the data, but rather that once the results are available, users will be able to view and even share them, just as they do with their location data from their iPhones.
We already have a starting point with all the HealthKit applications and the data that the Apple Watch is already analyzing ; this is just a glimpse of what can easily be achieved. It is believed that at the next event on June 8th, Apple will unveil studies from the ResearchKit that focus on DNA, as the company is collaborating with researchers in the United States to create two interesting applications.
Two initial studies appear to be underway. One is being conducted at a laboratory at the University of California , San Francisco (UCSF), and the other at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York . In this way, Apple joins a long and interesting process to determine certain causes, such as premature birth , using data that users can share—perhaps even via mobile devices—and which will be more cost-effective compared to other methods.
Other companies like Google and the US government itself are looking to create a large database of genes in the hope of finding the causes of various genetic diseases , and Apple could have a significant role given its technology and market share.
Technology Review reports that all DNA data will be hosted in the cloud , but users will be able to access published results.
