Apple is reportedly working on enhancing its stronghold in the health industry with an AI-based motivational coaching service aimed at improving exercise, diet and sleep, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Dubbed ‘Quartz’, Apple’s new AI coaching service is part of the company’s push into health. Apple has already made health the focus of their devices like the Apple Watch and with updated fall and crash detection capabilities.
‘Quartz’ will use artificial intelligence and data from users’ Apple Watches to make informed suggestions and create coaching and wellness plans that are tailored to their specific needs, according to the report which includes anonymous information from people with knowledge of Apple’s plans.
As these are still early unconfirmed reports, ‘Quartz’ is slated for release next year but can be postponed or even cancelled.
It is interesting to see that Apple might be pushing further into health and allowing users to have a centralised place for their health needs. The Apple Watch is already incredibly capable of serving health statistics and wellness updates to users so it makes sense for Apple to take it one step further and give them AI-created plans.
Bloomberg also reported that Apple is set to introduce an expansion of the health app for the iPad which will ease sharing between doctors and patients as part of iPadOS 17. Vision and emotion tracking is also said to be added to the expanded health app this year.
Recently, Apple made strides with its glucose-tracking smartwatch for people with diabetes. The technology has been in the works since 2010 when founder and former Apple CEO Steve Jobs bought out RareLight.
What’s more, Apple’s upcoming VR headset will also slot into the company’s large health strategy with a feature where users can reportedly meditate while wearing the device and access improved versions of workouts that are available on Fitness+.
Apple is really pushing its way further into the health industry. It’ll be interesting to see if ‘Quartz’, or some form of it, takes form over the coming years.
Apple’s iPad health update and the vision and emotion tracking features will most likely be announced in June at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference. We’ll just have to wait to hear more about ‘Quartz’.