Apple Re-Hires Flipboard Co-Founder Evan Doll for Continued Push Into Health Initiatives

[MacRumors]

Apple has re-hired software engineer Evan Doll to help the company "develop more health-related software," according to information spotted by Bloomberg on Doll's LinkedIn account. Specifically, Doll is now a director of health software engineering at Apple, a position which he began sometime in July, but his profile information doesn't provide any further details into his role at the company.

The software engineer worked at Apple from 2003 to 2009, helping create and develop the software operating system for the iPhone. In 2009, he left Apple and co-founded magazine app Flipboard with Mike McCue. Similar to Apple News, Flipboard curates content and stories tailored to each user's personal tastes and preferences, and has even been endorsed by Apple in the past.

The launch of Apple News was reported as a steep competitive challenge for the small company, resulting in a majority of its executives leaving the company -- including Doll himself -- in September 2015. Despite his background in the news curation space, Doll's new placement at Apple has him focused on potential new health initiatives, an area that the company has slowly been building upon lately.

Apple has been beefing up its engineering team for health-care applications, hiring Sage Bionetworks founder and Merck & Co. veteran Stephen Friend and former Nest Labs technology chief Yoky Matsuoka earlier this year. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is increasingly positioning the Apple Watch as a wellness accessory as he tries to win a slice of the $4.6 trillion U.S. health and fitness industry.

A report from earlier in the week suggested that Apple is working on a new health-tracking piece of hardware to launch alongside the 10th anniversary iPhone in 2017. Although details are still lacking for a product launch over a year away, the product is said to collect heart rate, pulse, and blood sugar changes, which could be describing a next-generation Apple Watch if it's not an entirely new addition to the company's hardware lineup.

Earlier in the year, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke with Jim Cramer on "Mad Money," discussing Apple's initiatives in the health landscape. Cook described services like ResearchKit and the Health app as "significantly underestimated" sections of the technology market. Ultimately, when asked what the "next frontiers" in product development, Cook described health, and all the inroads taken by Apple to provide detailed analysis of a user's well-being, as "the biggest one of all."

Article Link: Apple Re-Hires Flipboard Co-Founder Evan Doll for Continued Push Into Health Initiatives

 

[Donoban]

He's still a kid! What talent.

 

[gsmornot]

I think its a cover-up. I'm guessing he is going to help move Apple News to macOS. Perhaps the "work on health" is to do with a non-compete from Flipboard.

 

[LordQ]

Ah, Flipboard... Used to love that app but all changed when the Ads nation attacked.

 

[2457282]

It seems strange that this kid started flipboard and presumably cashed out when he left which should have left him with lots of money. Going from founder and executive to a director level position seems like a step back. Either he loves what he does and could care less about the money because he has so much in the bank OR he blew all his gains from flipboard and came crawling back and is grateful to have any job that help him pay off the loan shark that is threatening to break his legs. LOL

 

[JamesDo]

Please hire a new designer and CEO, instead of releasing a third-gen iPhone 6, which will suck badly compared to the Note 7.

 

[AgentBurt]

Please hire a new designer and CEO, instead of releasing a third-gen iPhone 6, which will suck badly compared to the Note 7.

Because "leaked" images tell us EVERYTHING???

 

[smacrumon]

Flip Flop Flip Flop Flip Flop... Flip?

 

[S.B.G]

Good to see he's still on good terms with Apple and able to contribute in a positive way to the company. I do love Flipboard and hope it stays around for a good long time.

 

[Keane16]

Please hire a new designer and CEO, instead of releasing a third-gen iPhone 6, which will suck badly compared to the Note 7.

As a shareholder and Apple user, no thanks.

 

[Zirel]

When Apple breaks into the Health market, I want to see what the people that say that Apple should focus on macOS in lieu of iOS and watchOS have to say...

 

[djcerla]

As a shareholder and Apple user, no thanks.

Ah the Note 7, the micro-incremental upgrader that will be nuked to oblivion by the new iPhone.

To topic: it's clear now that Apple is working on a FDA-sanctioned device, with longer product cycles than usual, alongside the new Apple Watch. This hire is fitting.

 

[JamesDo]

As a shareholder and Apple user, no thanks.

Because shareholders like declining sales?
[doublepost=1470927149][/doublepost]

Because "leaked" images tell us EVERYTHING???

Actually yes, they do. Or is this your first month following Apple rumors?
[doublepost=1470927182][/doublepost]

Ah the Note 7, the micro-incremental upgrader that will be nuked to oblivion by the new iPhone.

To topic: it's clear now that Apple is working on a FDA-sanctioned device, with longer product cycles than usual, alongside the new Apple Watch. This hire is fitting.

It's incremental, because they already have everything that the iPhone hasn't.

 

[djcerla]

It's incremental, because they already have everything that they iPhone hasn't.

The Android POS spyware festooned by TouchWiz and the slower processor?

I forgot the device-cracking pen, but I guess they managed to fix that in v7.

 

[JamesDo]

The Android POS spyware festooned by TouchWiz and the slower processor?

I forgot the device-cracking pen, but I guess they managed to fix that in v7.

I'm talking hardware, but you are acting like another iSheep that closes his eyes for everything that isn't Apple.

Note 7: best screen on the market (it even supports HDR, max brightness 1000+ nits), much better camera, IP68 waterproof, wireless charging, headphone jack.

 

[alazhaarp]

For a split second I read the word "Apple" and "Hires" (as in Hi-res, hi resolution), my heart stopped. But no.. I'll keep dreaming then.

 

[44267547]

Please hire a new designer and CEO, instead of releasing a third-gen iPhone 6, which will suck badly compared to the Note 7.

Please post a comment which actually contributes the article and has pertinent meaning, besides Apple bashing on an article which has no relation.

On another note, glad to see Flipboard is still here. I thought eventually Flipboard would be ignored.

 

[djcerla]

I'm talking hardware, but you are acting like another iSheep that closes his eyes for everything that isn't Apple.

Note 7: best screen on the market (it even supports HDR, max brightness 1000+ nits), much better camera, IP68 waterproof, wireless charging, headphone jack.

Good, let's revisit this 27 days from now.

 

[jagooch]

Flipboard? I remember trying it for a few minutes based on the hype and then went back to Feedly.

Going back to Apple is a good move since Flipboard has most likely already seen its best days.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

It seems strange that this kid started flipboard and presumably cashed out when he left which should have left him with lots of money. Going from founder and executive to a director level position seems like a step back. Either he loves what he does and could care less about the money because he has so much in the bank OR he blew all his gains from flipboard and came crawling back and is grateful to have any job that help him pay off the loan shark that is threatening to break his legs. LOL

relative size of the two organizations matters a LOT as does the lack of opportunity his startup has had since Apple News released. Moving to a much lower title in a much larger organization can still be a lateral or advancing move.

 

[spiffers]

Cool Evan is back. Its thanks to him I started developing for iOS. He was teaching the first semester iOS development was on the roster @ Stanford U. This is a super nice guy, really knows the ins and outs of iOS, and he is good with ppl. Bet we are going to see him on stage next WWDC WB Evan!

 

[Wiesenlooser]

Honestly, Flipboard seems dead to me. Kind of a shame because it used to be amongst my favorite apps.

 

[Keane16]

Because shareholders like declining sales?

Because as a shareholder I look long term. If you think the first sales blips is worth kicking out the men who helped build one of the worlds biggest companies then more power to you.

 

[Adam Warlock]

When Apple breaks into the Health market, I want to see what the people that say that Apple should focus on macOS in lieu of iOS and watchOS have to say...

Please. Health is or rather should be a serious endeavour, not fashionable or taken lightly like 'a hobby'. Would you trust your health or that of a loved one to a company whose software leaves so much to be desired of late? Maybe if you'd like to replace the cuff on your blood pressure monitor with colourful ones once in a while, or be 'cool' (*snicker, snicker*) with a Beats-banded pacemaker or something. I dunno. Perhaps a garishly-colored UI on those multi-parameter monitors they hook you up to in hospitals? One in which nurses struggle to figure out where to find various functions because most of them are hidden, some units require Force Touch, others don't have enough RAM to juggle all your vitals at the same time and still others prompt you to use Apple Pay to purchase more space in iCloud because your complimentary 5 GB is filled with episodes of Planet of the Apps.

Let's get serious: Apple in the health industry would be similar to so-called health stores: fluffy crap that may make some people feel good about themselves but ultimately does little or nothing for your actual health, and in fact do harm in some cases. Best leave health to the real professionals IMO.

 

[RogerWilco]

Tim's biggest con of all? Let's vote: TV, watch, ResearchKit, HomeKit, car. I remember an Apple that changed the world by focusing on making creative people more productive.