Smart tracking technology has taken off in recent years, with wearables and internet of things gadgets featuring more prominently in homes across the world. One of the companies better placed in this space than most is Apple.
Recently hitting its fattest market cap figures ever, the Cupertino-based tech giant has reportedly acquired sleep tracking company Beddit for an undisclosed fee.
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First reported by CNBC, the acquisition was innocuously announced by Beddit itself in a subtle change to its on-site privacy page.
“Beddit has been acquired by Apple. Your personal data will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy,” it writes.
But why would Apple purchase a niche company like Beddit?
For the former, Beddit’s experience in the sleep tracking space is an invaluable addition to its swathe of healthcare offerings.
Apple’s new acquisition Beddit monitors users’ sleep patterns using an in-bed smart tracker
Beddit retails a sensor that users can place on their beds. This sensor then tracks their sleeping habits, including snoring, resting heart rate and overall quality of sleep. It also reported this information to the Beddit app, allowing users to access more granular information on their slumber.
This fits in well alongside Apple’s other health-orientated offerings.
There’s also the possibility of gathering data on sleep disorders.
According to Research and Markets, the sleep disorders sector was valued at US$49-billion in 2016, but is expected to grow to just US$80-billion by 2022.
For Cupertino, it opens up another potential revenue stream.
As for current Beddit users, the company announced that they can communicate with their bed sensors by using Apple’s HealthKit suite and the Health app itself.
The two companies have yet to announce additional terms of the deal.
