Samsung and Nestle team up to create a digital health platform

Digital health applications and products have quickly gained the attention of health aficionados everywhere. Devices like Fitbit and competing services like Apple Watch and various Android applications have made tracking your health cool.

Now, Nestle's Institute of Health Sciences and Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center are teaming up to help people live healthier lives by combining Nestle's nutritional expertise with Samsung's ARTIK IoT platform vision, phone technology and semiconductor know-how.

Stefan Catsicas, Nestle's chief technology officer, was thrilled with the partnership, according to a Nestle press release, saying that it'll benefit everyone who wants to improve their health.

"We are delighted to enter this collaboration with a global leader in the field of sensor technologies," said Catsicas, reported a Samsung press release. "It will advance our nutrition, health and wellness strategy to support people who want to live a healthier lifestyle."

Nestle Health Science noted the goal is to give people one choice when it comes to managing their health on their own. The companies didn't provide specifics about how they'd collaborate, but more is expected early next year. Currently, Medidata is conducting a study on behalf of Nestle about older adults with joint discomfort and nutrition and mobility, FierceBiotech reported. There's no word on whether this study could play a role in future developments between Nestle and Samsung, but it'll be interesting to see if this is an audience the two companies target.

Young Sohn, president and chief strategy officer of Samsung Electronics, not only praised the new relationship between Nestle and Samsung, but also alluded to its development being possible because of the new era of mobile health technology.

"We're excited about the breakthroughs this collaboration will bring," said Sohn. "Today, we live in an era of smarter living brought about by the convergence of technology and life science. It's an era where the data from smart sensors and devices in our daily life, such as mobile phones, wearables, and smart refrigerators, can help us to understand our nutrition and activity and to guide us towards a healthier lifestyle."

Today more than ever, people want updates about everything, such as their health, as quickly as possible. While it's still important to regularly schedule checkups with your physician – after all he or she can help interpret any data your health apps and products find – IoT solutions allow people to track their health in real time and make changes to their regular workout regimen or nutrition plan immediately. Samsung and Nestle will likely look to expand on current research and technology and may look to create breakthrough solutions to compete with top health care devices.