Your iPhone’s Newest Feature Could Help Save Lives

Being an organ donor can save lives, but registering as an organ donor can be a hassle. Luckily, Apple wants to help change that. Starting with the iOS 10 update this fall, Apple will give U.S. iPhone users the ability to join the national organ donor registry through its Health app, The Guardian reports. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, said in the announcement that the push was inspired by Steve Jobs' "excruciating" wait to undergo a liver transplant in 2009. Jobs died at age 56 after battling pancreatic cancer. Cook said the Health app update could help lower the United States' organ donor shortage, according to The Guardian. In May, the Obama administration announced a series of actions to reduce the waiting lists for life-saving organ donations. The government noted that 22 people die each day while waiting for organ transplants. The administration has invested nearly $200 million in manufacturing research that could lead to advancements in organ replacement. Apple's push (one of a number of additions that have made the Health app more useful in recent years) should certainly help save more people's lives, as well.