Beyond mobile phones: opportunities for smart TVs in Femtech

Femtech has predominantly delivered digital health interventions through smartphone-based mobile applications, leaving smart televisions (smart TVs), among the most prevalent internet-connected devices in United States (U.S.) households, overlooked as a women's health platform. In this perspective, we consider whether and how smart TVs might be leveraged to help address sex- and gender-related health disparities among women in the U.S., and where the evidence needed to support such applications is currently lacking. We review published examples of smart TV applications in clinical and home settings and explore how these technologies may be adapted to support women's health. Although smart TVs have been used for patient engagement, education, and communication, little published evidence has specifically evaluated their application in women's health. We therefore present a research agenda and recommendations for researchers, developers, and clinicians seeking to leverage smart TVs for women's health interventions, organized around the physical environments in which these devices are used. These recommendations address native application development, privacy and safety considerations unique to shared-screen environments, and opportunities to advance health equity by reaching women who face barriers to care.