Apple enables Health Records feature for users in the UK and Canada

Next week, Apple fans will finally get to see what the company has in store for its flagship smartphone catalogue this year. The "Hi, Speed" virtual event has been scheduled on for Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m. PDT and is expected to unveil the iPhone 12 and a whole lot more. Ahead of the big reveal, the Cupertino-based tech group reportedly enabled its Health Records feature for users who reside in the United Kingdom and Canada.

Reports recall the company was already working in integrating various health-related functionalities to the iPhone in 2013. Insiders claim that its was in preparation for the eventual arrival of the first-generation Apple Watch. While the Health app regularly pulls data recorded by various fitness or smart medical devices coupled with information stored on the smartphone, the Health Records works differently.

"We designed Health Records on iPhone to empower people to easily view their health records at any time, and we are thrilled to put this feature in the hands of customers in the UK and Canada," stated Apple's vice president of technology Kevin Lynch in an official press release. "We believe people should have access to their health information in the most private and secure way, and we have worked hand in hand with healthcare institutions and organizations to put privacy at the center of the patient experience."

Health Records first launched in the United States in 2018 with only a few healthcare institutions supported. Now that number is up to more than 500 which makes it more accessible for iPhone users who want to keep track of their medical history. Some of the information that can be sourced from hospitals include allergies, medications, procedures, conditions, and immunisations among others. So far, given it just launched in the UK and Canada, only a few medical establishments are compatible.

Apple explains that when the app is launched, the iPhone then establishes a connection with the supported hospital or clinic. To ensure that the user's privacy is protected, it uses a one-way process wherein data is only received by the device with no information being sent back to the servers. Moreover, everything is encrypted as an added layer of security.