Apple's already working with a handful of high-profile research institutions, including the University of Rochester and Sage Bionetworks (among others). Testimonials given in a video shown at the event highlight the power of Apple's platform -- 700 million iPhones have been sold, Apple CEO Tim Cook says -- which research institutions can leverage for data. Even if only a small fraction of Apple's enormous userbase opts in, the potential is tremendous.

As Engadget's Dana Wollman wrote in today's liveblog:

"'Methods for medical research haven't really changed in decades,' one researcher says. Another said that after sending out 60,000 letters in the mail, they might only get back 305 responses."

ResearchKit launches in the coming month, and a handful of apps will be available starting today. These apps focus on breast cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and asthma. Further cementing Apple's dedication to the software toolkit acting as a public service, ResearchKit is open-source software.