Observe ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Apple’s developer convention kicks off Monday.
- Apple is lagging behind within the AI race.
- Its partnership with Google might supercharge its well being suite.
I’ve been carrying Google’s screenless Fitbit Air for a couple of weeks now, and whereas comparisons to its luxurious counterpart, the Whoop, abound, testing Google’s well being tracker put my thoughts on its greatest rival, Apple, as an alternative.
Whereas I might be blissful to see Apple ship a screenless well being tracker of its personal, what I might a lot quite see is a considerable improve to its personal well being suite — and that begins with software program.
Additionally: Whoop vs. Fitbit Air: I’ve tested both trackers for health and fitness, and this model wins
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off Monday, and the software program unveiled there’ll ship on Apple’s next-gen merchandise. It may not look like it, however WWDC might mark a turning level for the tech large, with its rumored Siri revamp on the heart of all of it. Here is why.
Gemini will energy the following Siri
Google’s Gemini will energy the following era of Siri, the 2 corporations introduced earlier this yr. Corporations use one another’s software program on a regular basis — however Apple isn’t any common firm. Steve Jobs notoriously saved Apple’s {hardware} and software program closed, with little curiosity in integrating his merchandise into Android units or bringing Google merchandise into Apple’s ecosystem.
Alas, it is 2026, AI has flooded Android’s {hardware}, and Apple has run shallow by itself. It was about time Apple made a deal.
As ZDNET’s well being editor, I’m most intrigued by the well being and fitness-related prospects to return out of Google’s Siri revamp.
Whereas not excellent, my expertise testing Google’s AI Health Coach has offered me on well being AI as a great tool. By merely having a chatbot that hooks as much as my sleep, train, and stress information, I can ask health-related questions that take my particular circumstances under consideration and get customized solutions and suggestions.
Additionally: I tracked 3,000 steps on my Apple Watch, Google Pixel, and Oura Ring – this one was most accurate
What’s extra, I am wanting to see how Apple will embrace this software program in its units to create one thing that feels distinct from its competitors.
I might love a brand new Well being app (and chatbot)
I might like to see a Well being app revamp, much like what Google has executed with its Fitbit, now Google Well being, app. It is excessive time Apple takes the info it is already gathering from the Apple Watch and makes use of it to energy new every day metrics, join data throughout apps, or present new insights.
A well being chatbot might be really easy to implement into the Well being app, however Apple would wish to configure Google’s Gemini to be as personal, safe, and encrypted as its personal merchandise are. This is without doubt one of the many the explanation why individuals flock to Apple over Android units, and it is a large problem with this collaboration: Will Apple relinquish a few of its personal privateness measures to get a working AI on its merchandise? I hope Apple will point out this when it reveals this alleged health-related AI assistant.
Additionally: Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: I compared the smart rings for health tracking – and it’s very close
The well being assistant might work together between apps just like the Well being app, Journal, and the Apple Watch Health app to log data with no consumer having to manually enter this throughout apps. So for example a consumer logs a temper within the Journal app: The Well being AI might join that temper to physiological data throughout the consumer’s Well being, Sleep, or Exercise apps.
Constructing on the Sleep Score Apple unveiled in September, I might additionally love Apple to combine extra information from the smartwatch into every day summaries you’ll be able to test. Whereas testing the Fitbit Air and Google Well being Premium, I loved getting slightly abstract of my every day exercise, bedtime suggestions, and nudges to maneuver extra.
Apple’s place inside the well being ecosystem emphasizes privateness and science-backed options. I might like to see its research-backed strategy to a readiness rating, stress monitoring, or a extra sturdy wellness suggestion engine.
Interactive and digestible information
Apple has seemingly constructed its Well being app with interactivity as an afterthought. This is sensible. It is not a recreation or a streaming app; it is not an app persons are alleged to spend greater than 5 minutes sifting by. However the Oura and Google Well being apps have confirmed that folks certainly get extra out of their well being machine when information is illustrated in an interactive and digestible approach.
Additionally: I wore the Oura Ring 5 for 24 hours – and it fixes my biggest issue with Ring 4
Oura does this greatest, with tabs for every day sleep, exercise, and stress scores; a short-term, mixture tab of essential biometrics; and the longitudinal well being tab, which shows data like stress administration, sleep well being, and coronary heart well being.
If Apple nails its well being coach and Well being app redesign, this may place the corporate nicely for no matter future wearable it is cooking up.
