Global Smartphone Leaders Expand into Smart Healthcare: Innovations and Strategic Moves

Recently, Digitimes Research released its smartphone market research report for the third quarter of 2015. The report shows that Samsung and Apple accounted for approximately 40% of global shipments, with Samsung ranking first and Apple second. Huawei, Lenovo, LG, and Xiaomi ranked third through sixth, respectively. In fact, beyond these well-known names, brands such as Nokia, HTC, Meizu, and OPPO also immediately come to mind when we think of mobile phones. So how have these internet giants or leading electronics companies made their mark in the healthcare sector? What are the differences among them? At the beginning of 2016, let us take stock of the remarkable achievements made by these industry leaders over the past year, both to witness a better future and to look forward to creating more miracles.

Overseas——

Apple’s Signature Move: An Open Application Platform for HealthcareThis December, according to the latest data from U.S. market research firm IDC, global wearable device sales in the fourth quarter surged by 200% year-on-year, with total shipments reaching 21 million units. Fitbit firmly held the top position in the industry, followed by Apple in second place and Xiaomi in third.Overall, Apple’s ambitions in the mobile sector extend beyond health and fitness, with a stronger focus on medical applications. In fact, Apple’s iPhones and iPads have been deeply entrenched in the healthcare field for many years. Several years ago, the company proposed using iPads to improve healthcare services. Licensed physicians now use iPads during medical procedures as diagnostic aids to remotely monitor patients or access medical information. Furthermore, the iPad’s high-definition imaging capabilities can be leveraged to display 3D anatomical structures or medical imaging scans, as well as highly detailed surgical videos. iPads are also used to educate patients by fully utilizing multimedia resources—such as videos, animations, images, and charts—to impart knowledge about specific diseases and conditions. Doctors can use iPads to record medical notes and even employ them as pre-existing tools for physical assessments, conducting psychological evaluations and other minor diagnostic assessments directly on the device.In the realm of smartphones, Apple developed the M7 chip embedded within its devices. The M7 chip continuously monitors data from various sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and electronic compasses. It integrates and transmits this sensor data for specialized analysis and processing, enabling more real-time data acquisition and facilitating diverse applications.In June 2014, Apple released a new mobile application platform to the world called “HealthKit,” designed to collect and analyze users’ health data. HealthKit integrates data collected by other third-party health applications on iPhone or iPad, such as blood pressure and weight.In practical applications, Apple partnered with the Mayo Clinic to break the deadlock of isolated and fragmented data provided by individual health apps in the past. By integrating multiple monitoring applications, it aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of user health. Stanford University and Duke University Hospital in the United States have also conducted clinical tests on HealthKit’s data monitoring capabilities and functions, focusing respectively on type 1 diabetes in children and monitoring blood pressure, weight, and other metrics in cancer and heart disease patients.Of course, HealthKit’s capabilities extend far beyond this. Data from last November indicated that there were already 137 health apps on HealthKit, most of which belong to the health tracking category. In addition to HealthKit, Apple launched ResearchKit, a medical research platform, in March of this year. Apple expects to turn the iPhone into a medical diagnostic tool through the more specialized ResearchKit. ResearchKit is also an open platform that allows medical professionals to create diagnostic apps compatible with the iPhone. Similar to the many data-sharing apps already available on HealthKit, the first batch of apps on ResearchKit targeted five specific diseases.It is also worth mentioning that Apple is equally focused on the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, having introduced its smart home platform, HomeKit. The first batch of HomeKit-enabled smart home products, released this June, came from five manufacturers. These products allow users to control lighting, room temperature, fans, and other household appliances via iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.Beyond these major software platforms, Apple’s Apple Watch has certainly captured global attention. The Apple Watch comes in three versions: Standard, Sport, and Edition. Functionally, the Apple Watch focuses on health monitoring and reminders, with over 200 compatible apps available. In terms of partnerships, Google announced in September the release of the Android Wear app for iOS, which allows users to connect Android Wear smartwatches with Apple iPhones.As Apple’s direct competitor, Samsung’s sustained innovation in the digital healthcare sector is equally impressive.Samsung: A Proliferation of Wearable DevicesSamsung Electronics, the largest subsidiary of the Samsung Group, has primarily focused its mobile healthcare strategy on wearable devices and health applications, striving to bring medical capabilities to smartphones. After launching the flagship smartphone "Galaxy S" in 2010, Samsung equipped its Galaxy lineup with more than ten types of sensors by 2014, making it the smartphone manufacturer with the most diverse sensor integration in the market. A research report released in July indicated that Samsung is intensifying its R&D efforts in the wearable sector, offering a wide variety of device styles and comprehensive product categories, positioning the company to potentially become the leader in patent applications within this field.As the first tech giant to launch a smartwatch, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Gear in September 2013, followed by the Gear S in 2014. This July, rumors circulated about the upcoming release of the circular smartwatch, the Gear A, which has not yet hit the market. The Gear A features a 1.65-inch display with a resolution of 360×360, 768MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage. It incorporates six sensors: GPS, heart rate sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetic sensor, and barometer.To date, a total of seven smartwatches have been released. These devices feature familiar functionalities such as pedometers and heart rate monitoring. For instance, the Gear S2 smartwatch comes with S-Health, a flagship health-monitoring application that integrates practical features including exercise cycle tracking, workout planning, professional sports monitoring, heartbeat measurement, heart rate monitoring, UV intensity testing, and hydration reminders (the “eight glasses of water” feature). Notably, S-Health is also available on Samsung smartphones. Upon first use, users are required to input personal information such as height and weight to facilitate future exercise tracking and record-keeping. Subsequently, placing a finger on the sensor located on the back of the device will automatically initiate the measurement, with the results displayed upon completion.

In addition, Gear Fit is a smart fitness band released by Samsung. It features an aesthetically pleasing interface and built-in fitness tracking capabilities, continuously monitoring users’ step count, walking distance, calories burned, and other metrics. The band is compatible only with Samsung smartphones and tablets.

Last May, Samsung launched another smart health-tracking wristwatch called Simband. This wearable device not only continuously monitors various health metrics throughout the day—such as blood pressure, respiration, heart rate, and blood carbon dioxide levels—by detecting different wavelengths of radiation emitted from the wearer’s skin, but it also supports 24-hour power supply, enabling “wrist charging” while the user sleeps. This innovation addresses a common drawback faced by many smart wearable devices.Concurrently, Samsung introduced the Samsung Multimodal Architecture for Interactive Health (SAMI), an open-source health software application platform. SAMI collects and analyzes sensor data from various devices, supporting real-time data transmission between wristwatches and mobile apps while providing API interfaces to third-party developers, thereby establishing an open digital health data platform. Samsung’s strategic move is far-reaching: it enables the acquisition of vast amounts of data from other health applications connected to the platform, which can then be analyzed, standardized, and shared with other app developers. Thus, the Simband fitness band serves as both a reference design hardware and an open template, poised to integrate new sensor modules for future wearable devices.Earlier this year, reports emerged that Samsung’s engineering team had developed a wearable device capable of detecting early-stage stroke by sensing brainwaves. The prototype, named EDSAP, wirelessly transmits detected brainwave data to connected devices and assesses the likelihood of a stroke within one minute. Furthermore, with long-term use, the device can evaluate the wearer’s neurological health by analyzing stress, anxiety, and sleep patterns.To date, Samsung has established a “Samsung Smart Health Ecosystem” comprising bio-engineering processors, Simband, Gear, and the S-Health application. Samsung’s objective is clear: to manage user health through smartphones. At this year’s Boao Forum for Asia, Samsung announced its continued entry into the mobile health and medical market, leveraging IT tools to collaborate with medical institutions and build its own health management system. Additionally, Samsung plans to strengthen cooperation with insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and hospitals to integrate the health and medical industries and construct a comprehensive medical ecosystem.In fact, Samsung’s wearable devices extend beyond healthcare. This May, the company unveiled a new chip called Artik. Designed to connect everything, the Artik series of processors combines hardware and software, enabling Samsung to rapidly and easily create Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It appears that Samsung will leverage these IoT chips to connect all things via mobile devices such as smartphones, realizing the vision of the Internet of Everything.Moreover, Samsung has made significant strides in investment and collaboration. In February 2014, Samsung partnered with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to launch a new medical R&D collaboration project, establishing the “UCSF-Samsung Digital Medicine Innovation Lab.” The lab created a new testing platform for medical sensors and technologies, conducting standard tests and validating the effectiveness of numerous health-related medical devices available on the market.LG Keeps Pace with the Times and Refuses to Fall BehindIn January 2014, at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), LG unveiled its first smart wearable device—the Lifeband Touch smart band. In terms of health monitoring, it not only tracks user metrics such as step count and calories burned but also provides data on blood pressure and heart rate. The Lifeband connects via Bluetooth to iOS or Android smartphones and integrates with apps such as RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal. Additionally, the Lifeband can be paired with headphones that have built-in heart rate sensors.Last year, LG’s G Watch R was rated as one of the best-looking smartwatches of the year. Featuring a true circular dial, it was LG’s second Android Wear product. A microphone located on the underside of the watch enables voice input. The back of the G Watch R is equipped with a heart rate monitor that emits green light during operation.Thus, LG’s G Watch was the first generation, featuring a square design and a 9-axis accelerometer, resembling a miniature LG smartphone. However, the first-generation LG watch did not include heart rate monitoring functionality.This March, following the well-received launch of the G Watch R, LG once again ventured into the realm of round smartwatches with the Urbane series, which also marks the first smartwatch to support LTE networks. The series comprises two models: the LG Watch Urbane and the Urbane LTE. Both Urbane models come equipped with a virtual fitness coach and a GPS chip, enabling tracking of running or cycling activities. The built-in heart rate sensor and barometer can also monitor hiking exercises. LG has even incorporated motion sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and compasses for golf enthusiasts.In December 2014, LG’s mobile application, LG Smarthealth, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The app tracks activities such as walking, running, cycling, and skating, as well as route planning and calorie tracking. It also allows users to set calorie and exercise goals. Although these health and fitness tracking features do not require FDA clearance, LG’s application for FDA approval signals its intention to expand into the medical sector in the future.Furthermore, the clearance falls under the common mobile health vendor category of “transmitters and receivers, physiological signals, and radio frequency,” and is listed within the cardiovascular specialty directory. This indicates that LG’s devices or apps may be used for heart rate tracking.Regarding collaborations, in 2012, LG’s U.S.-based R&D subsidiary, Zenith, partnered with San Diego-based Independa, a company specializing in telemedicine product development for elderly care. Through this partnership, LG planned to integrate Independa’s cloud-based healthcare platform, Angela, into its televisions.Nokia Starts Anew, Brewing WearablesForeign media have commented that Nokia is not dead; it has merely fallen asleep. This sounds familiar, as China was once regarded as a sleeping lion but has now awakened. Reports indicate that Nokia will return to the smartphone market in 2016. At the World Internet Conference held in December 2015, Risto K. Siilasmaa, Chairman of Nokia, stated that the company would focus on fields such as virtual reality (VR) and digital health in the future.Its future strategy remains centered on the Internet of Things (IoT): “Nokia is exploring new opportunities and considering how to change the world—a world where connectivity can be further expanded, linking hundreds of millions of things together. It connects mobile phones, wearable products, and health devices to the cloud for analysis. The era of the Internet of Everything offers many benefits, turning waste into savings and simplifying complexity,” said Risto K. Siilasmaa.In August this year, Nokia launched health-oriented wearable devices. Newly filed patents by Nokia also corroborate rumors that the company is developing wearables. One such patent features a health-focused wristband capable of collecting users’ physiological data or counting steps. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to contract, maintaining appropriate contact with the wearer’s skin at all times, thereby delivering a better user experience while collecting more accurate data.To collect data such as heart rate, blood pressure, or skin moisture, sensors must maintain proper contact with the user’s skin. However, when data collection is not underway, continuous contact is unnecessary. If the wristband does not need to be worn tightly around the wrist at all times, the user experience improves. Therefore, having the wristband tighten only when data collection is required and automatically loosen afterward provides a superior experience.In May 2014, Nokia developed the SensorCore low-power chip, which conserves energy and reduces battery consumption in mobile phones. While many applications, such as fitness and health apps, that leverage chip data can be highly power-intensive, the SensorCore operates with minimal power usage.This January, it was reported that Nokia might launch the Here wearable smartwatch. The device has not yet been released to the market.

China—

Huawei's One-Two Punch: Healthcare IT + Health Cloud Platform + Smart WearablesIn the domestic market, the undisputed leader is Huawei, which ranks first in sales. As a leading provider of information and communications technology (ICT) solutions, Huawei directly serves healthcare institutions, helping hospitals achieve medical informatization and providing technical support for the establishment of digital hospitals.The most prominent aspect is Huawei’s cloud computing technology. Huawei offers IaaS-type services to enterprise-level clients, providing a neutral, secure, and professional public cloud platform. It has also fostered a healthy cloud computing ecosystem. These cloud computing infrastructures and solutions are widely applied in healthcare and other sectors.For example, in July 2015, Huawei collaborated with Jointown Pharmaceutical Group, Donghua Software, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University to jointly establish the Internet Healthcare and Medical Big Data Collaborative Innovation Center. The partnership focused on designing and developing one-stop solutions for hospitals in areas such as big data, e-commerce, telemedicine, and remote monitoring devices.In September 2015, Huawei partnered with Peking Union Medical College Hospital to launch a mobile app-based appointment registration system powered by Huawei Cloud. This system enables patients to register via mobile devices, query test reports, and consult on medication usage, with plans to expand functionality in the future.In November 2015, Huawei established a strategic partnership with Zhongzhu Holdings to jointly expand the market for oncology diagnosis and treatment service operations and big data analytics. In the field of oncology big data, Huawei is responsible for big data analytics operations, providing Zhongzhu Holdings with big data analysis solutions.In December 2015, Huawei collaborated with Xinlianda to launch a 4G “Internet+” solution for hospitals.In terms of telemedicine, Huawei built a telemedicine platform for the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University that radiates across the entire province, covering 118 counties in Henan Province. Similarly, Huawei established an innovative remote network model in Karamay, creating a telemedicine platform that connects several advanced collaborative hospitals and serves multiple hospitals within the province.Furthermore, Huawei has proposed a remote health solution, which includes functions such as remote chronic disease management and location-based emergency assistance. Remote chronic disease management enables the remote measurement of indicators such as blood pressure (BP), electrocardiogram (ECG), body temperature (TEMP), and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). Medical professionals provide remote guidance and intervention to serve patients with common chronic conditions like heart disease and hypertension. The location-based emergency assistance feature provides GPS positioning for patients or the elderly and offers one-touch emergency aid in critical situations. Currently, its partner for appointment registration is Guahao.com, and its partner for online medical consultations is Chunyu Yisheng.In terms of hardware and wearable devices, Huawei continues to achieve impressive results. In September 2014, it launched the RP200-H mobile medical cart, which offers excellent mobility and rich functionalities, including bedside consultations, patient monitoring, remote visitation, remote intensive care, surgical demonstrations, and teaching rounds.In the consumer sector, similar to Samsung and Apple, Huawei integrates smart applications with wearable devices to jointly monitor health data. Several of Huawei’s flagship models, including the Mate 8, Mate S, and Honor 7, feature a health platform that aggregates various medical apps and can connect to Huawei’s own smartwatches, fitness bands, and smart earpieces. Motion tracking features automatically record exercise data such as steps, distance, and calories burned. Compatible wearable devices include blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, and body fat scales.Huawei’s smart wearable devices include the Huawei WATCH smartwatch, the TalkBand B2 and Honor Band Zero/Honor Band (B1) fitness bands, and the TalkBand N1 smart earpiece. Indeed, the Huawei Watch was interpreted by the industry as a direct challenge to HTC, forming two rival pairings: Jawbone versus Huawei, and Under Armour versus HTC.The Huawei smartwatch can track steps, calorie expenditure, altitude, and heart rate. It automatically monitors user activity during walking, running, cycling, climbing, or sleeping without interfering with daily routines. While its exterior resembles a high-end Swiss watch, its interior functions as a smart, multi-functional sports watch, making this hybrid style a creative highlight. Users can freely choose from 40 analog watch faces, receive notification alerts, track health metrics, and check emails.Therefore, as mentioned above, in terms of the competitive landscape, foreign brands are represented by Samsung versus Apple, while domestic brands are represented by Huawei versus HTC. So what exciting initiatives has HTC undertaken in the healthcare sector?HTC with an International Flair: Covering Both Medical and Health SectorsIn fact, HTC from Taiwan, China, has also demonstrated strong performance in the healthcare sector. According to reports circulating since late December last year, HTC is poised to launch several models of the HTC Tricorder, a personal smart medical diagnostic device. The lineup reportedly consists of four variants: Ear Plug, Ear Scope, Lens Cap, and Skin Scope. These devices cover examinations of areas such as the skin and ear canal, and are also capable of monitoring blood, urine, and exhaled breath.For instance, the device features a built-in electronic nose that can analyze chemical compounds in breath to determine whether the user has pneumonia. Two accessories, a dermatoscope and an otoscope, can transmit real-time images wirelessly to a smartphone. Users simply need to insert the otoscope into the ear; if signs of otitis media are detected, the system will alert the user via their smartphone.It remains unclear whether the aforementioned products are merely conceptual or currently under development. These health accessories indicate that HTC is boldly advancing into the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), following a global strategy of interconnectedness similar to that pursued by Samsung and Apple.Some speculate that HTC’s strategic pivot stems from its weak competitiveness in European and American markets and declining smartphone sales, leading the company to place greater emphasis on the domestic Chinese market. Consequently, HTC has begun entering the market through conceptually innovative wearable devices and the digital health sector.For example, HTC collaborated with the U.S. sports apparel brand Under Armour to develop a fitness product: the “UA Scale,” a smart Bluetooth scale capable of measuring body weight and body fat. Previously, the two companies cooperated to launch the wrist-worn fitness tracker, HTC Grip, which was unveiled in March of this year. The HTC Grip has been regarded by the industry as a stepping stone for HTC’s entry into the wearable smart device market. This waterproof wearable device can track speed, distance, caloric expenditure during running, cycling, gym workouts, sleep, and other activities. Equipped with GPS functionality, it can sync data to smartphones even without being directly connected to them. Given the partnership with Under Armour, data from the HTC Grip naturally synchronizes with UA Record, a health data aggregation app developed by Under Armour. In fact, UA Record is an open-platform product designed to integrate data from various other sports-related apps and wearable devices.In addition to Grip, HTC also released a motion-tracking app called Fun Fit in March. The app measures steps, distance, energy expenditure, and workout duration, while generating daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual activity curves to help users monitor their exercise patterns. It creates a virtual avatar for each user and integrates with Facebook to connect with friends, thereby enabling ongoing social interaction.In March of last year, it was reported that HTC became the only Android smartphone officially designated by Fitbit to come preloaded with the Fitbit app. This development is linked to Jonah Becker, an HTC designer who later joined Fitbit as its new Vice President of Industrial Design. After HTC acquired One & Co., Becker worked under HTC, leading the design of the HTC One M8 and M9. During his tenure at One & Co., he was responsible for sports-related projects, including product designs for Adidas, Burton Snowboards, K2 Sports, Nike, and The North Face. Thus, the relationship between Fitbit and HTC has deep roots.In fact, as early as 2009, HTC released the HTC Fuze, a phone that has since been discontinued. At that time, the Wound Technology Network (WTN) utilized this device to help physicians diagnose patients and prescribe treatments remotely for those recovering from chronic wounds, serving as a telemedicine management software to facilitate wound healing. Many doctors, nurses, and physician assistants used this phone, allowing patients to receive medical treatment services remotely from home.Furthermore, to assist in treatment, physicians used HTC phones to capture images of patients' wounds and transmit them to wound care specialists. These images were also incorporated into the patients' electronic medical records.In 2010, HTC’s EVO smartphone served military applications. The U.S. Marine Corps considered migrating electronic medical records to iOS and Android devices. The Army Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) software was tested on Apple products, as well as on HTC’s EVO and Samsung’s Epic. Similarly, Calgary Scientific’s Resolution MD, a professional medical imaging diagnostic app that later received FDA clearance, was also available on the HTC EVO 4G at that time.Regarding investment and R&D sponsorship, in August 2010, Nokia, HTC, and others sponsored the development of a video chat application specifically designed for users with hearing loss or impairments. In November 2014, InfoBionic raised $17 million for its remote cardiac monitoring system, with HTC as one of the investors. Wearable devices could directly transmit patient data—such as arrhythmia events, electrocardiograms (ECG), and heart rate—to the cloud. After intelligent cloud-based analysis initially filtered the data to remove false positives, the analyzed information was transmitted to physicians. Doctors could then view patient data via web portals or apps, and even conduct diagnoses directly through the app.Finally, HTC has maintained an open attitude, integrating freely with various health monitoring apps. For instance, in 2013, it partnered with AliveCor, an FDA-cleared ECG monitoring device, allowing monitoring data to be uploaded to HTC phones. Earlier, in 2010, AirStrip Technologies partnered with Sprint to provide hospitals with a suite of medical-grade system solutions. AirStrip’s app allowed for remote real-time patient monitoring, transmitting critical patient data from hospital monitoring systems to healthcare providers’ mobile devices. This app was compatible with both the HTC EVO 4G and the Samsung Epic 4G.Last June, Chairwoman Cher Wang stated that in the smartphone business, there would be refreshing star products in the second half of the year, and next year’s flagship models would feature more breakthrough designs and technological innovations. Additionally, the product portfolio would be strengthened to meet market demands. HTC quickly fulfilled this promise. In December 2015, at the HTC VIVE UNBOUND Developer Summit hosted by HTC, the company showcased applications of the HTC Vive in scenarios such as film, entertainment, healthcare, and real estate. All attendees experienced the immersive and fantastical virtual reality world brought by the HTC Vive. At the event, Cher Wang expressed strong optimism about the VR sector, believing that virtual reality would transform future lifestyles.Therefore, believe that HTC’s pursuit of innovation will not cease; stay curious and keep an eye on HTC.Lenovo’s Healthcare Informatics + Initial Foray into Smart WearablesLenovo has been making significant strides in the healthcare sector, exemplified by Lenovo Holdings’ entry into the medical industry through strategic investments in healthcare enterprises. For instance, its capital injection into Byer Dental Care Group further extended its business reach. In fact, as an IT company, Lenovo had already launched its Lenovo Smart “Cloud” Hospital Solution in 2013, offering a comprehensive digital hospital construction plan centered on IT hardware infrastructure, ranging from personal computers and mobile terminals to backend core servers and storage devices. This approach closely aligns with Huawei’s concept of comprehensive healthcare informatization integration.The Lenovo Smart “Cloud” Hospital Solution redefines the panoramic view of digital hospitals by intelligently integrating desktop endpoints, mobile devices, servers, and storage systems. For example, in 2014, Lenovo partnered with The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University to establish the Lenovo Smart Healthcare Research Institute, transforming itself into a SaaS service provider. By collaborating with top-tier independent software vendors (ISVs) in the industry to jointly set up the Smart Healthcare Research Institute, Lenovo provides holistic solutions for hospital development, including business consulting, process reengineering, infrastructure deployment, software development, and operational maintenance.For instance, in 2013, Shanghai Xinhua Hospital deployed medical workstations based on the Lenovo ThinkCentre M4350q; West China Hospital of Sichuan University equipped itself with a new mobile ward-round system comprising 400 units of the Lenovo ThinkCentre M4350q.In the wearables sector, last November, TÜV Rheinland presented Lenovo Group with the world’s first certificate for smart wearable devices in Beijing, aiming to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the wearable device industry. The certification process involved two key aspects: first, compliance with industry standards and technical regulations set by major global organizations; and second, ensuring that the product passed TÜV Rheinland’s specialized user experience testing. Shortly after receiving the certification, at the beginning of this year, Lenovo launched the Vibe Band VB10 smart wristband, marking a solid step forward for Lenovo into the wearable devices market.Xiaomi Enters Mobile Healthcare Through HardwareXiaomi’s strategic layout in the mobile healthcare sector demonstrates remarkable foresight, having established relationships with prominent mobile healthcare companies at an early stage. Meanwhile, its presence in the medical field continues to focus primarily on smart hardware. On July 22, 2014, during Xiaomi’s annual product launch event, Lei Jun announced that users could access convenient mobile internet-based medical services, such as appointment registration, through Xiaomi smartphones. The platform providing this service to Xiaomi fans was Guahao.com (WeDoctor). In fact, as early as 2007, Shunwei Capital, Lei Jun’s personal angel investment firm, had made a RMB 3 million angel investment in Haodf Online. Additionally, Shunwei Fund, initiated by Lei Jun, participated in Dingxiang Yuan’s Series B financing round in 2012, investing tens of millions of US dollars. Huami Technology, known for its Mi Band, also secured tens of millions in funding from Lei Jun earlier that year.On September 18, 2014, iHealth, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Andon Health, signed an investment agreement with Xiaomi Investment. Founded in 1995, Andon Health integrates research and development, manufacturing, and sales, committing itself to making professional testing and physiotherapy accessible for home and personal use. It is a leading domestic manufacturer of electronic blood pressure monitors. Following this investment, the two parties entered into an exclusivity agreement, under which Xiaomi committed not to invest in two types of companies for two years: first, medical products based on health big data; and second, products similar to iHealth that feature single functionalities such as blood pressure or blood glucose monitoring as their primary selling points. The collaboration model between Xiaomi and Andon Health involved not only exchanges in software and hardware but also innovative utilization of Xiaomi’s e-commerce platform. This approach was expected to be emulated by other internet companies and hardware manufacturers. Possibly due to this exclusivity clause, Xiaomi made no further significant moves in the mobile healthcare sector thereafter.Among domestically produced smartphones, the 2015 Singles’ Day shopping festival gave rise to a new internet slang term, “Huamei Xiaomei,” which referred to the top-selling Chinese brands during the shopping spree: Huawei, Meizu, Xiaomi, and 360 Qiku.Having introduced Huawei and Xiaomi, what about Meizu?Meizu Takes an Unconventional Path, Aiming to Build HospitalsThis December, it is reported that the company intends to inject $20 million into “Bige Technology” to establish hospitals and initiate overseas financing. The entire project will receive technical and resource support from a renowned and authoritative intelligent healthcare institution abroad. As a pioneer media platform and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meizu Technology, “Bige Technology” has consistently played the role of “creating and sharing creative, engaging, and cutting-edge content” within the Meizu ecosystem, producing numerous high-quality pieces that have gained widespread circulation.Additionally, there is a smartphone model deeply loved by young girls: OPPO. Founded in 2004, OPPO is a global company specializing in smart devices and mobile internet services. As a leading Chinese smartphone manufacturer, OPPO has also entered the mobile health sector by launching its own smart band, the O-Band. With a stylish design and rich functionality, the O-Band’s companion mobile app offers extensive data analysis and computational features, enabling users to comprehensively monitor their physical condition.The primary functions of the O-Band smart band are activity tracking and sleep monitoring. Data for both metrics are recorded and collected via sensors embedded in the band. Although the O-Band features an LED dot-matrix display, its on-device data presentation is limited; therefore, users need to install the O-Band app on their smartphones. In addition to recording activity tracking and sleep monitoring data, the O-Band includes several user-friendly features, such as remote camera control and vibration alerts.Furthermore, in May 2015, OPPO released the Compass Bluetooth band, which integrates an activity cycle display with heart rate monitoring capabilities. The Compass band supports heart rate monitoring and features a black-and-white display.As evident from the above comparison, among overseas mobile phone brands, senior executives place greater emphasis on the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), which also represents their future development direction. Current medical wearable devices or hardware constitute only a small fraction of IoT applications; in the future, these brands are poised to make significant strides in smart home solutions. For instance, Apple, a premium brand, expanded into the healthcare sector early through the iPad, making unique contributions to enhancing medical services. Furthermore, the iPhone and its wearable counterpart, the Apple Watch, feature open application platforms. This open ecosystem allows integration with multiple applications and compatibility with data from various smart hardware devices. Samsung, leveraging its strong innovation capabilities, has developed a range of wearable smart hardware that has garnered global enthusiasm. It has also built its own open health cloud platform, capable of connecting with smart devices from other brands. LG lags significantly behind Samsung and Apple, yet shares a similar strategic approach, combining a health cloud platform with smart wearables. Nokia currently remains in a backward position, with its wearable initiatives still in the planning stages.Turning to several best-selling domestic mobile phone brands in China, their strategic layouts differ significantly from those of foreign brands, particularly in the case of Huawei and Lenovo. This divergence may stem from the fact that medical informatics abroad has matured as an independent industry with numerous established companies capable of providing comprehensive medical informatics solutions specifically for hospitals. In contrast, this sector in China is still in its infancy, with few independent suppliers of medical informatics solutions. As large diversified enterprises within the information technology industry, Huawei and Lenovo possess the capability to provide concrete pathways for implementing informatization in medical institutions, while also independently researching and developing smart mobile terminal devices. Consequently, their business scope can expand broadly, targeting both enterprise users and individual consumers by developing corresponding software and hardware. This represents a major difference compared to foreign brands.Specifically, Huawei has been actively engaged in the smart wearable sector, collaborating with well-known international sports brands to develop fitness and health tracking devices, while also entering the market for medical-grade hardware. Simultaneously, it partners with leading internet healthcare platform-based or resource-rich enterprises in China, opening mobile connectivity portals for users. This not only drives traffic to partner internet platforms but also enhances convenience for mobile phone users, fostering habits of online medical consultation and promoting the development of the mobile healthcare industry. Lenovo, on the other hand, has not made significant investments in the wearable device sector and lacks distinct competitive advantages. However, like Huawei, it provides informatization solutions for medical institutions.HTC presents a special case. As a Taiwanese enterprise, it previously focused primarily on European and American markets. After facing setbacks in overseas markets in recent years, it shifted its focus to mainland China. Its development plan closely resembles those of Samsung and Apple, indicating an international-oriented strategy centered on technological supremacy. Therefore, senior management places high hopes on highly promising future technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Similarly, HTC has been active in medical applications within the wearable device sector. Years ago, it followed mainstream international markets by providing software application services via mobile phones to military and hospital clients. Thus, smart hardware is expected to remain one of HTC’s core development lines in the future. Xiaomi adopts a relatively conservative approach, continuing to focus on healthcare-related hardware facilities. It has independently developed only one product, the Mi Band, and invested in iHealth to address its shortcomings in the medical sector. Additionally, Xiaomi has established investment and cooperative relationships with Guahao.com, Haodf.com, and DXY.cn. This suggests that Xiaomi’s strategy is one of cautious progression, maintaining a wait-and-see attitude toward the mobile healthcare sector without demonstrating any immediate intention to make aggressive moves.Finally, there are Meizu and OPPO, fashionable phone brands popular among young women. Rumors suggest that Meizu is investing in establishing hospitals, though its future plans remain unclear. OPPO follows a conventional path, having developed two wearable bands to test market interest, thereby demonstrating its commitment to staying current and following trends.