iOS 26.4: Apple Health gets a major redesign
Apple plans to release a revamped Health app in iOS 26.4 later this year, featuring a simplified design, meal-tracking capabilities, Health+ videos, and an AI agent. These upgrades build on existing health functionalities to enhance user data management and guidance.
Over the past year, multiple reports have detailed upcoming changes to Apple’s Health app. Tim Cook has stated that one of Apple’s largest contributions to society will be in health. This series of upgrades aligns with that focus, with implementation expected on iPhones within months.
Macworld reporter Filipe Esposito outlined the redesign in a recent report. The update introduces a new layout for categories within the app. Metric logging becomes simplified, streamlining the process of recording health data such as steps, heart rate, and sleep patterns. Specific visual or navigational alterations remain unspecified, but the changes coincide with the app’s growing role in Apple’s product ecosystem. Apple schedules the iOS 26.4 beta release for next month, followed by full availability in spring.
The revamped app incorporates food tracking as a core component. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman detailed this feature in a newsletter last year, noting: “Food tracking will be a particularly big part of the revamped app. That’s an area that Apple has mostly avoided, so far, though the current Health app does let you enter data for things like carbohydrates and caffeine. Going big on food tracking would mean challenging services such as MyFitnessPal and, to some extent, weight-management apps like Noom.”
This marks Apple’s first major expansion into comprehensive meal logging. Users gain the ability to record calories directly, supporting weight-loss objectives. The existing app permits manual entry of select dietary elements, such as carbohydrates and caffeine intake, but lacks structured meal oversight. Development progresses at full speed for inclusion in iOS 26.4.
Apple develops a video service akin to Apple Fitness+, potentially branded as Health+. This platform hosts instructional content from medical professionals. Contributors include doctors, physicians, sleep experts, nutritionists, mental-health specialists, physical therapists, and cardiologists. Production occurs at a dedicated facility in Oakland, California, where experts record videos tailored to common health topics.
The Health app integrates these videos dynamically. Detection of a negative health trend, such as declining activity levels or irregular sleep, triggers relevant video recommendations. Each video delivers specific advice on improvement, drawing from expert input to guide users toward better habits.
Separate from core app redesigns, Apple advances an AI health agent. This tool processes data aggregated from Apple Health across paired devices, including iPhones, Apple Watches, and others. Analysis generates personalized health recommendations based on patterns in activity, vital signs, and logged metrics.
The AI agent extends to nutritional guidance, interpreting dietary inputs alongside biometric data to suggest adjustments. Integration with the Health+ service enables seamless access to video content aligned with AI insights. Development continues, positioning the agent within the broader Health+ framework.
A distinctive capability involves the iPhone’s rear camera. Users point the device at themselves during workouts, providing real-time video feed to the AI. The system assesses form, such as posture during exercises or alignment in yoga poses, and offers immediate corrections. This feature leverages device hardware for on-the-spot coaching.
Potential linkages exist with other Apple services, including Apple Fitness+, where camera-based feedback could enhance workout sessions. The AI agent’s scope encompasses proactive monitoring, ensuring recommendations derive directly from user data profiles.
Current Health app functionalities provide foundational elements for these upgrades. Users already log basics like height, weight, and mindfulness minutes, with automatic syncing from wearables. The redesign unifies these under clearer categories, while new tools address gaps in nutrition and coaching.
Recording at the Oakland facility standardizes video quality and content. Experts film segments on topics ranging from sleep hygiene by specialists to cardiac health tips from cardiologists. Mental-health videos cover stress reduction, complementing physical therapy content on injury prevention.
iOS 26.4 rollout follows standard Apple timelines: developer beta next month enables early testing of Health app changes. Public beta phases precede spring’s stable version, allowing iterative refinements based on feedback.