Apple may take a significant leap forward in its health initiatives within about a year, completely revamping its Health app and adding an Apple AI health coach, according to a new report.
With more resources trained on the goal, called Project Mulberry, the iPhone giant gets closer to delivering on CEO Tim Cook’s vision that Apple’s greatest contribution to society will be in health care.
Apple AI health coach could work in tandem with revamped Health app
Despite Apple Watch not yet fulfilling its promise as a “medical lab on your wrist” and the current Health app remaining relatively basic, the company has ambitious plans that could transform the health industry, according to Bloomberg.
One of Apple’s most groundbreaking projects is a noninvasive glucose monitor, a 15-year endeavor that began during Steve Jobs’ leadership. This innovative feature aims to alert users if they’re prediabetic, potentially helping them avoid developing the full condition. While this project has achieved important milestones, it remains years away from completion. But another one may come along much sooner. It’s a whole new Health app design and a virtual doctor analyzing your data and making recommendations.
Project Mulberry’s AI health coach
While a glucose monitor remains on the drawing board, Apple’s health team focuses on “Project Mulberry,” an initiative combining a completely redesigned Health app with an AI health coach. The service, which has evolved from what was previously code-named “Project Quartz,” is now in active development with a potential release in iOS 19.4, expected in spring or summer of 2026.
The enhanced Health app will continue gathering data from Apple devices like iPhone, Apple Watch, earbuds and compatible third-party products. But you can expect a crucial difference. The AI coach will analyze the information to provide personalized health-improvement recommendations.
Doctors on video
Apple is training this AI agent with data from its in-house physicians and plans to incorporate videos from external medical experts specializing in sleep, nutrition, physical therapy, mental health and cardiology. These videos will serve as educational resources, explaining specific health conditions and suggesting lifestyle improvements based on user data. For example, if the app detects concerning heart-rate trends, it might present a video explaining heart disease risks.
Food tracking will be a central feature of the revamped app, an area Apple has largely avoided until now. The current Health app allows basic tracking of nutrients like carbohydrates and caffeine, but the expanded functionality would position Apple to compete with dedicated services like MyFitnessPal and Noom.
Possible Fitness+ video tie-in
Additionally, Apple is developing camera-based features that would allow the AI coach to analyze users’ workout techniques and offer improvement suggestions — potentially integrating with Apple’s existing Fitness+ platform.
Dr. Sumbul Desai, leader of Apple’s health team for several years, spearheads the project, with significant involvement from COO Jeff Williams. Following previous setbacks in the health division, including an unsuccessful app for connecting users with doctors, Project Mulberry has become the health group’s primary focus.
As Apple establishes a facility near Oakland, California, for physicians to create content for the app, the company is also searching for a prominent medical personality to serve as the face of what some Apple employees are informally calling “Health+.”
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
