Fill Me In

The Singapore government has undertaken a two-year collaboration with Apple Inc. to run a wellness initiative aimed at keeping Singaporeans healthy. Through a reward system, residents will be able to receive up to S$380 in benefits when they engage in activities including walking, swimming or yoga.

Tell me more.

LumiHealth is an iPhone app that tracks user behaviour and encourages the completion of healthy goals. Linked to the Apple Watch, users need to access both in order to participate in this nationwide initiative, which is voluntary.

Beyond tracking fitness activities, the app runs wellness challenges that helps users improve sleep patterns and make better food choices. It also offers personalised coaching and prompts users to participate in immunisations and other public health roll-outs.

Has it been done before?

At Apple’s virtual launch event, CEO Tim Cook shared that Singapore will become the first country to leverage the benefits of Apple Watch by offering incentives for people to use it to stay healthy and active.

The initiative will begin in October.

Why now?

Pegged as an investment in the country’s future, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Heng Swee Keat said that the partnership will enable Singaporeans to lead healthier lives and contribute valuable insights to improving the health of people all over the world.

Should I be worried about data privacy?

Apparently not. Both the tech giant and Singapore has emphasised that the LumiHealth app was created with user privacy and security in its design. According to Apple, all user data will be encrypted and securely stored, and will not be shared for marketing purposes.