AI Health Coach Plans Reportedly Still Active at Apple
Code discovered within the iOS 26.4 beta suggests Apple has not abandoned its plans for an AI-powered health coaching service. Such a feature would likely leverage the vast amount of user data within Apple's Health ecosystem to provide personalized wellness recommendations.
- The project, internally codenamed "Quartz" and later "Mulberry," aims to use AI to provide personalized coaching on exercise, diet, and sleep based on data from the Apple Watch and Health app. - Early reports suggested the service could launch as a paid subscription under the name "Health+," but recent developments indicate Apple may integrate features into the existing Health app instead of a standalone offering. - To ensure the reliability of the coaching, Apple has been collaborating with medical experts in fields like cardiology, sleep science, and nutrition to help train the AI system. - The initiative is reportedly a top priority for Apple's health division, with significant involvement from executives like COO Jeff Williams (now retired) and Services Chief Eddy Cue. - In addition to coaching, the project was expected to include features like mood tracking and the ability for the Health app to run on the iPad. - Development has included building a content studio in Oakland, California, to produce educational videos featuring medical professionals to supplement the AI coaching. - The project has faced delays and shifts in strategy, with initial plans for a 2024 or iOS 26/27 release being scaled back, partly due to increased competition from companies like Oura, Whoop, and Google's Fitbit. - Despite scaling back the initial standalone service, Apple is still expected to roll out individual AI-powered health features over time, such as using the iPhone's camera to analyze a user's walking patterns.
