Apple prepares Health+, a new subscription for an AI health coach

More than a year after promising a major overhaul of Siri, Apple has yet to launch any significant artificial intelligence functionality. However, according to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, the Cupertino company is poised to accelerate its efforts in this area starting in 2026, particularly with an ambitious health-related project: a new subscription called Health+.

An Intelligent Health Coach Integrated into the Health App

Apple is reportedly working on a new version of its Health app, accompanied by a paid service called Health+. This service would feature an AI conversational agent designed to help users better manage their health on a daily basis.

According to Gurman, this assistant could analyze health data collected from the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other connected devices to provide personalized recommendations, nutritional advice, and even educational videos created by medical experts. The goal would be to support users in prevention, nutrition, and physical activity, while promoting a more balanced lifestyle.

In other words, Health+ would serve as an intelligent virtual health coach, capable of explaining the causes of a problem, suggesting practical improvements, and offering real-time feedback based on the user’s history.

Another Piece in Apple’s AI Strategy

This new development would fit into Apple’s broader AI strategy, which currently lags behind its competitors. While Samsung is enhancing its Galaxy AI features on its Galaxy S25 and Google is integrating Gemini into its Pixel 10, Apple remains cautious in this domain.

However, the company aims to close this gap. In April, it is expected to launch a new version of Siri with iOS 26.4, featuring improved natural language understanding. Then, by 2026, a complete overhaul of the well-known voice assistant will arrive with iOS 27, along with an AI-powered web search tool.

Another Subscription in the Apple Ecosystem?

The Health+ service would likely add to Apple’s already extensive list of subscriptions: Music, TV+, Arcade, Fitness+, News+, and iCloud+. It is very possible that it will be included in the Apple One bundle, which could lead to a overall price increase.

However, the proliferation of these services raises concerns among some users: subscription fatigue is becoming a real issue. Many believe that Apple will need to provide clear added value to convince customers to pay for Health+, especially if the standard Health app remains free.

Toward a Homegrown AI Inspired by Gemini

To bring this new ecosystem to life, Apple is reportedly developing its own AI model, inspired by Gemini, which it might co-develop with Google. According to Bloomberg, Apple is paying nearly one billion dollars per year to Google for access to its technology while simultaneously building its own internal solutions for the long term.

If this project comes to fruition, Apple could emerge as a major player in the digital wellness space, combining the sensors of the Apple Watch, health data, and an AI engine capable of interpreting and contextualizing all of this information.

In summary, if Apple successfully makes Health+ genuinely intelligent and relevant, the company could transform the iPhone and Apple Watch into true personal medical assistants. However, if the service turns out to be just another paid chatbot, it risks joining the long list of subscriptions that users forget to renew.