Apple Intelligence has been infused into almost all of Apple’s software in some way. Aside from the obvious inclusions in macOS, iPadOS and iOS Apple has managed to slide some AI into Final Cut Pro as well the iWork suite of apps. But one area where some AI would be immensely useful is in health. Between the Apple Watch and myriad apps, the iPhone has become a central repository of health data that is ripe for AI.
Apple introduced HealthKit back in 2014 as part of iOS 8. Since then, it has been extended and expanded as the Apple Watch has added new sensors and various apps have, particularly in the exercise and nutrition areas, have given us the opportunity to collect and save more data.
While the volume of data has increased, the level of insight we can gain from that data has not kept pace. We are now what day analysis call “data rich and insight poor”.
But there is a sign that might be changing.
Bloomberg’s resident Apple prognosticator Mark Gurman says Apple is developing a new AI tool that will use the data in the Health app to give us constructive advice and insights.
Many years ago, I write an article for a magazine about the quantified self movement. In the days before tools like Apple Watch made it relatively easy to collect health data, people would manually record information in spreadsheets and then analyse it. Those people were trying to answer questions about how to be their most productive, perform better at sports, optimise their sleep and other actions that were important for them.
That’s the piece of the puzzle Apple is rumoured to be filling according to Gurman. He says that Apple is developing a new service, dubbed Health+, that will give us insights to help us lead healthier lives.
While the new service is likely to be first shown off at WWDC in June 2025 as part of iOS 19, Gurman does think we’ll see it in production until iOS 19.4 is released. That suggests it will be Autumn 2026 by the time we get to see it.
Given the new service gets a “+” added to its name, it’s not expected this will be a free service, although I suspect a subset of the new functionality will be available at no charge. This follows in the footsteps of News which delivers some content for free but requires a subscription to get to many of the publications it offers as News+.
The lack of tools that can be used to gain meaningful insights from the Health app has been a major bugbear for me. I wear my Apple Watch almost 24/7 other than when it’s on a charger every couple of days. I exercise with it, wear it when I sleep, record my meals in Foodnoms, measure my blood pressure every week or so with a Qardio blood pressure cuff and it records my wrist temperature, heart rate and blood oxygen.
Yet, with all that data, I can’t answer a simple question like “Why did I run better today than the same route last week?”.
Apple’s Health app presents nifty graphs and alerts me when my data is trending differently but it can’t answer questions.
If Health+ is able to answer questions and give actionable advice, it will be a game changer. But if all we get is a bunch of generic advice – which is what apps like Welltory and Athlytic do – then it will be disappointing.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.