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This is absolutely right. My company been working on a medical device accessory for the iPhone and the possibilities the "tablet" form factor are amazing. Lowe

This is absolutely right. My company been working on a medical device accessory for the iPhone and the possibilities the "tablet" form factor are amazing. Lower Cost Structure - In our industry (diabetes) you give away hardware to get ongoing disposable revenue. This hardware is expensive to produce and develop. Plus you spend a lot of effort on areas that don't add much value e.g. reinventing the wheel re: display drivers. This completely changes the economics of the industry. Higher Product Quality - By taking advantage of the core Tablet attributes like color touch screen display and processor you can do things feature wise that would be prohibitive with custom hardware. The amount of "ooohs" we get showing off our iPhone UI vs the current LCD one is staggering. New Revenue Opportunities - Again our business has thrived on a single revenue stream, the disposable test strips. With connections to the web all manner of "virtual good", subscription services, and other digital business models get opened up. Overall it is a huge win for both user and entrepreneur and is going to fundamentally change a bunch of hardware businesses. If you want to see our product, here is a nice review (http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662351/blood-glucose-monitor-for-the-iphone http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662351/blood-glucose-monitor-fo...)

sudont 16y ago
Interestingly they're still devices. It's just that with iOS (and soon Android) this is the first time a general-purpose operating system is perfect for a device. Cocoa's for-scientist, rapid-development ideology is perfect for using the OS to create an ethereal device. Also, that's some solid hardware/software.
dave1619 16y ago
Wow, that's a pretty cool diabetes blood tracking device. Kudos to you and your team.
- replicatorblog 16y ago
  Thanks! BTW, we are hiring iOS developers if you are looking to work on cool tech and help 300MM people world wide live longer healthier lives!
dejb 16y ago
Doesn't it concern you that Apple could shut you down at any stage? They could easily just decide that your app isn't suitable for their store. This would be especially true for industrial applications where there might be good reasons to want to step outside their TOS or guidelines.
- Xuzz 16y ago
  I'd also be concerned that on Android that the user might have a device that doesn't allow off-Market installs, and then I'd have to use a distribution mechanism I don't prefer (maybe even an alternative market like Amazon was rumored to be creating). No platform is perfect.
  - statictype 16y ago
    Less of a concern. If Apple decides to go into the Medical gadgets field and updates their terms of service accordingly, you are basically hosed. There's no recourse. Not even an alternate 'off-Market install'.
    - Xuzz 16y ago
      Unless your customer's Android device happens to come from AT&T, where you have the exact same issue. (This isn't to say I don't agree with you that they shouldn't be able to kick you off, but, you know what? No mobile platform is good in that respect.)
      - dejb 16y ago
        Yes but your program will still work on other android platforms that don't try to prevent non-app software so the software development effort investment isn't wasted.
- replicatorblog 16y ago
  When has Apple shut down apps in the store? There was the purge of bikini pic apps and the Google Voice issues, but I can't think of another example of good, useful apps being pulled out of the store capriciously.
skeletonjelly 16y ago
Not being an iOS developer I'm a little in the grey here. How would developing a product for the private market go in terms of distribution? I gather your product is for mass consumption?
- replicatorblog 16y ago
  Its just like any other iOS accessory. The app is distributed via the App store and the hardware through retail channels.
seehafer 16y ago
I'm glad Sanofi-Aventis is moving forward with an iPhone accessory that will be a medical device, and will be really pleased if they're able to get it through FDA. The Agency has put a lot of scrutiny on mobile platforms in the past, which is one of the reasons you don't see all kinds of medical technology running on smartphones and tablets. Trust me, it's not because those of us in the medical device industry don't want to utilize these platforms. (Note: this is distinct from EMR/EHR, which medical staff can put on whatever they choose)

sudont 16y ago

Interestingly they're still devices. It's just that with iOS (and soon Android) this is the first time a general-purpose operating system is perfect for a device. Cocoa's for-scientist, rapid-development ideology is perfect for using the OS to create an ethereal device. Also, that's some solid hardware/software.

dave1619 16y ago

Wow, that's a pretty cool diabetes blood tracking device. Kudos to you and your team.

replicatorblog 16y ago
Thanks! BTW, we are hiring iOS developers if you are looking to work on cool tech and help 300MM people world wide live longer healthier lives!

dejb 16y ago

Doesn't it concern you that Apple could shut you down at any stage? They could easily just decide that your app isn't suitable for their store. This would be especially true for industrial applications where there might be good reasons to want to step outside their TOS or guidelines.

Xuzz 16y ago
I'd also be concerned that on Android that the user might have a device that doesn't allow off-Market installs, and then I'd have to use a distribution mechanism I don't prefer (maybe even an alternative market like Amazon was rumored to be creating). No platform is perfect.
- statictype 16y ago
  Less of a concern. If Apple decides to go into the Medical gadgets field and updates their terms of service accordingly, you are basically hosed. There's no recourse. Not even an alternate 'off-Market install'.
  - Xuzz 16y ago
    Unless your customer's Android device happens to come from AT&T, where you have the exact same issue. (This isn't to say I don't agree with you that they shouldn't be able to kick you off, but, you know what? No mobile platform is good in that respect.)
    - dejb 16y ago
      Yes but your program will still work on other android platforms that don't try to prevent non-app software so the software development effort investment isn't wasted.
replicatorblog 16y ago
When has Apple shut down apps in the store? There was the purge of bikini pic apps and the Google Voice issues, but I can't think of another example of good, useful apps being pulled out of the store capriciously.

skeletonjelly 16y ago

Not being an iOS developer I'm a little in the grey here. How would developing a product for the private market go in terms of distribution? I gather your product is for mass consumption?

replicatorblog 16y ago
Its just like any other iOS accessory. The app is distributed via the App store and the hardware through retail channels.

seehafer 16y ago

I'm glad Sanofi-Aventis is moving forward with an iPhone accessory that will be a medical device, and will be really pleased if they're able to get it through FDA. The Agency has put a lot of scrutiny on mobile platforms in the past, which is one of the reasons you don't see all kinds of medical technology running on smartphones and tablets. Trust me, it's not because those of us in the medical device industry don't want to utilize these platforms. (Note: this is distinct from EMR/EHR, which medical staff can put on whatever they choose)