Antonio Regalado, writing for MIT Technology Review:
Apple is collaborating with U.S. researchers to launch apps that would offer some iPhone owners the chance to get their DNA tested, many of them for the first time, according to people familiar with the plans.
The apps are based on ResearchKit, a software platform Apple introduced in March that helps hospitals or scientists run medical studies on iPhones by collecting data from the devices’ sensors or through surveys.
And:
Nudging iPhone owners to submit DNA samples to researchers would thrust Apple’s devices into the center of a widening battle for genetic information. Universities, large technology companies like Google (see Google Wants to Store Your Genome), direct-to-consumer labs, and even the U.S. government (see U.S. to Develop DNA Study of One Million People) are all trying to amass mega-databases of gene information to uncover clues about the causes of disease (see Internet of DNA).
And:
In two initial studies planned, Apple isn’t going to directly collect or test DNA itself. That will be done by academic partners. The data would be maintained by scientists in a computing cloud, but certain findings could appear directly on consumers’ iPhones as well. Eventually, it’s even possible consumers might swipe to share “my genes” as easily as they do their location.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. But one person with knowledge of the plans said the company’s eventual aim is to “enable the individual to show and share” DNA information with different recipients, including organizers of scientific studies. This person, like others with knowledge of the research, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the company’s insistence on secrecy.
Lots at stake here. Tricky waters to navigate. One key is the phrase “enable the individual to show and share DNA information”. As long as I get to limit who has access to my DNA. Unlike survey results that share habits or personal preferences, as far as I know, there is no way to anonymize DNA data.
On a side note, this article answers the question, “Are identical twins 100% genetically identical?”