Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote is just weeks away. The major excitement is around Apple’s software updates that are focused on AI features and the expected changes coming to iOS 27. However, as per a report by Blooberg’s Mark Gurman, the Apple Watch may quietly get some meaningful health-focused upgrades of its own. In his recent newsletter, Gurman said that WatchOS 27 will largely focus on stability, performance enhancements, and smaller refinements instead of major new features which means the users will not get to see any major redesign or flashy addition this year.
However, there is a major improvement for everyday users, i.e., enhancement in heart rate tracking on the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Key Improvement
Mark Gurman has not exactly revealed what the improvement would consists of, but the newsletter hinted that the company is continuing to refine how the Apple Watch monitors the users heart rate.
The newsletter reads “This year’s watchOS 27 update will focus largely on stability, performance and smaller refinements, rather than introducing major new capabilities. Still, improvements to heart-rate tracking are coming.”
The Apple Watch has gradually become one of Apple’s biggest health-oriented devices with features such as ECG monitoring, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep tracking, and workout metrics already playing a major role in the device.
Apple’s Project Mulberry
Apart from WatchOS 27, the company is also reportedly working on a much larger AI-powered health initiative internally known as “Project Mulberry.”
The project is said to include an AI agent capable of offering health insights using data collected through Apple Health. However, earlier reports suggest that the initiative had been scaled back. According to recent reports, the AI heath coaching features are still expected to arrive as part of the iOS cycle, but likely later than initially planned.
“One internal project, an ambitious AI health coaching service known as Mulberry, was recently scaled back after Cue took over Apple’s health group. I don’t expect features from that endeavor to launch until later in the iOS 27 update cycle,” Gurman said.
As per the newsletter, the redesigned Health app itself could still be introduced alongside iOS 27. The rollout could happen with iOS 27.1 in October 2026, iOS 27.4 in next spring or sometime in between.
Leadership Change and Internal Politics
Gurman also mentioned that recent leadership alteration in Apple’s Health and Apple Health Watch teams.
Stan Ng, former Vice President of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing retired this year in April and Kaiann Drance has taken his position who was an iPhone product marketing executive and as per insiders reports he believe that he could eventually become the company’s overall marketing chief.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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