Apple Scales back Enterprising AI Health Coach Plans, Citing Market Challenges
Apple is recalibrating its strategy for entering the personalized health coaching market, a move that highlights the complexities of monetizing health data and competing with established players. The company has discontinued development of a standalone, AI-powered health coach – internally known as “Mulberry” or “Health+” – and will instead integrate planned features into its existing Health app.
The shift, reported by Bloomberg on february 5, underscores the challenges Apple faces in transforming its robust health tracking capabilities into a profitable subscription service. Instead of a dedicated offering, Apple intends to roll out features over time within the Health app, a strategy that suggests a more cautious approach to direct consumer health services.
A recent leadership transition within Apple’s health association appears to have influenced the decision. Services chief Eddy Cue assumed leadership of the division following the retirement of longtime executive Jeff Williams at the end of last year. According to sources, Cue has emphasized the need for accelerated innovation and has pointed to competitors like Oura and Whoop as benchmarks for compelling health features. He is also evaluating potential changes to Apple Fitness+, the company’s existing $9.99-a-month workout subscription.
The AI health coach project faced multiple delays, initially slated for release with iOS 26 before being pushed to iOS 27, scheduled for September. The service was envisioned to generate comprehensive health reports and deliver AI-driven recommendations based on user surveys, assessments, Apple Watch data, and external lab results. Apple even established a content studio in Oakland, California, to produce accompanying video content. While the standalone coach is off the table, some of this video content and features – including suggestions based on existing Health app data – may be implemented as early as this year. A feature utilizing the iPhone camera to analyze gait is also still under development.
Competition in the health tracking space is intensifying. Bloomberg reports that Samsung is gaining ground, and OpenAI has launched “chatgpt Health” to provide data analysis and personalized feedback. Apple is also actively developing its own AI chatbot for health-related inquiries, with plans to integrate more advanced health query capabilities into a future version of siri.
In a statement released earlier in 2024,Sumbul Desai,Apple’s health vice president,affirmed the company’s commitment to leveraging technology for improved health outcomes: “At Apple,we believe that technology can help you live a healthier life,and we’re excited to enable amazing new health capabilities.”
Why did Apple discontinue the standalone AI health coach? Apple abandoned the project due to challenges in monetizing health data and increased competition from established players like Oura, Whoop, samsung, and OpenAI. The company determined a standalone launch presented too much risk in a competitive market.
Who was involved? Key figures include Apple Services chief Eddy Cue, who took over the health division from Jeff Williams, and Sumbul Desai, Apple’s health vice president. Competitors mentioned are Oura, Whoop, Samsung, and OpenAI.
What was the original plan? Apple initially planned a standalone, AI-powered health coach (“Mulberry” or “Health+”) that would generate comprehensive health reports and personalized recommendations based on user data and external lab results.A content studio was even established to create
