Reports have resurfaced around the release of iOS 27, indicating that Apple is adjusting its original plans for the health sector. A long-awaited new feature will reportedly not be released in the full scope initially anticipated. Specifically, this concerns Apple Health+, a function that has apparently been in internal development for years but will now only be partially implemented.
Apple has been increasingly positioning itself in the health segment for years. With the iPhone, Apple Watch, and the Health app, extensive health data is already being collected and analyzed. Accordingly, expectations were high for Apple Health+, which was seen as an intelligent expansion of this ecosystem. However, current information shows that Apple is proceeding more cautiously with iOS 27 than originally planned.
Apple Health+ was planned as a virtual health coach
According to a report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple Health+ was intended to be a core component of the Health app. The feature was designed as a virtual health coach, providing AI-powered recommendations based on personal health data. Plans included:
- personalized and detailed health reports
- Explanatory videos about medical diseases
- Suggestions and tips for improving general well-being
- new surveys and health assessments
The service was designed to combine data from the Apple Watch, the Health app itself, and external lab reports. The goal was to provide a more comprehensive and understandable analysis of one's own health data.
Combination of AI, surveys and external data
Particularly relevant was the planned integration of various data sources. Apple Health+ was intended not only to analyze existing health data but also to combine it with new surveys and medical assessments. This would have enabled significantly deeper insights into one's own health, including long-term trends and potential recommendations for action.
It is unclear whether Apple Health+ would have become a paid service
The report stated that it remained unclear whether Apple Health+ would have been offered as a paid subscription service. While it could have been positioned as a premium service within the Health app, this was never confirmed.
iOS 27 only brings selected parts of Apple Health+
Apple Health+ will not be fully released with iOS 27. According to reports, the feature will not be removed, but significantly limited. Some components, particularly suggestions based on existing health data, will be repurposed.
These features are expected to be introduced later this year. Instead of a comprehensive virtual health coach, only individual, scaled-down elements will be available on the devices.
It's worth noting that Apple Health+ was originally planned for iOS 26. This suggests that development has been underway for some time, but has apparently been modified or delayed several times internally.
Apple Fitness+ is also apparently under discussion
Bloomberg also reports that Eddy Cue, head of Apple's services division, is considering potential changes to Apple Fitness+. No specific details were provided. Nevertheless, this indicates that Apple is reviewing its overall health and fitness strategy.
iOS 27 takes a cautious approach in the health sector
iOS 27 will therefore be less comprehensive in the health area than initially expected. Apple Health+ will not arrive in its originally planned form, but only with a few, adapted features. Apple appears to be proceeding cautiously with sensitive health data. At the same time, it remains clear that health continues to play an important role in the Apple ecosystem. Apple Health+ is therefore not finished, but rather a project that will be developed gradually and in a controlled manner. (Image: Shutterstock / Primakov)
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