Apple’s ’Services’ business has grown significantly in recent years, leading some users fatigued by an increasing trend toward subscriptions. But Apple’s reported iOS 27 pivot on a planned ‘Health+’ service is good news for the subscription-weary.
Apple reportedly scrapped plans for a new ‘Health+’ service
There’s no question that services have become a very important part of Apple’s business.
Typically people think first of services like Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and the Apple One bundle.
But the company’s ever-growing services revenue is far more multifaceted, including things like a lucrative search deal with Google, the App Store, AppleCare, and more.
There’s a common narrative, though, that Apple is bent on constantly pushing subscriptions on users. So when the recent Apple Creator Studio bundle launched, for example, it earned a mixed reaction from the subscription-fatigued.
But yesterday, a Bloomberg report brought good news for anyone weary of subscriptions.
Mark Gurman reported that Apple has decided to pivot away from plans for a paid ‘Health+’ service in iOS 27.
‘Apple Health+’ features will now be added free in iOS 27 and beyond
Per Gurman’s report, Eddy Cue recently took on leadership of the Health division, and he didn’t think Apple’s planned AI-powered Health+ service was the right path forward.
Instead, Gurman writes: “Apple now plans to take some of the features it had planned for the artificial intelligence-powered offering and roll them out individually over time within its Health app.”
The report mentions two specific new features coming in iOS 27:
- video content created by Apple that’s “designed to explain medical conditions, guide users through training plans and offer wellness education”
- personalized, AI-generated recommendations for how users can improve their health, based on Health app data
He says other features from the planned service will continue being added to the iOS Health app over time.
As much as I was looking forward to the Health+ service, I’m thankful not to have another subscription to deal with. And it sounds like iOS 27 and beyond will bring the planned Health app upgrades absolutely free.
I’m fine with Apple offering new subscriptions as needed, when it makes sense. For example, I’d still love for Apple Books to get a subscription option.
But it’s great to see that, at least in this case, Apple is willing to pivot away from a recurring revenue option in favor of making new features free.
What’s your takeaway from this report on Apple’s iOS 27 Health plans? Let us know in the comments.
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