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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Apple’s developer conference begins Monday.
- Apple is falling behind in the AI race.
- Its collaboration with Google could boost its health offerings.
I’ve been using Google’s screenless Fitbit Air for several weeks now, and while many compare it to its premium rival, the Whoop, trying out Google’s health tracker actually made me think more about its biggest competitor, Apple.
While I’d welcome Apple releasing a screenless health tracker of its own, what I’d really prefer is a major improvement to its health suite — and that begins with software.
Also: Whoop vs. Fitbit Air: I tested both health and fitness trackers, and this one comes out on top
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference starts Monday, and the software introduced there will appear on Apple’s upcoming products. It may not seem obvious, but WWDC could be a pivotal moment for the tech giant, with its rumored Siri overhaul at the heart of it all. Here’s why.
Gemini will drive the next Siri
Google’s Gemini will drive the next generation of Siri, the two companies revealed earlier this year. Companies frequently use each other’s software — but Apple is no ordinary company. Steve Jobs famously kept Apple’s hardware and software tightly controlled, with little desire to connect his products to Android devices or bring Google services into Apple’s ecosystem.
Times have changed — it’s 2026, AI has taken over Android’s hardware, and Apple has fallen short on its own. It was about time Apple struck a deal.
As ZDNET’s health editor, I’m most excited about the health and fitness possibilities emerging from Google’s Siri overhaul.
While not flawless, my time testing Google’s AI Health Coach has convinced me that health AI is a genuinely useful tool. By simply having a chatbot linked to my sleep, exercise, and stress data, I can ask health-related questions that factor in my specific conditions and receive tailored answers and suggestions.
Also: I tracked 3,000 steps on my Apple Watch, Google Pixel, and Oura Ring – this one was most accurate
Beyond that, I’m curious to see how Apple will weave this software into its devices to create something that stands apart from the competition.
I’d welcome a new Health app (and chatbot)
I’d love to see a Health app overhaul, similar to what Google has done with its Fitbit, now rebranded as Google Health, app. It’s about time Apple leverages the data it’s already gathering from the Apple Watch to power new daily metrics, link information across apps, or deliver fresh insights.
A health chatbot would be straightforward to add to the Health app, but Apple would need to ensure Google’s Gemini meets the same privacy, security, and encryption standards as its own products. This is one of the main reasons people choose Apple over Android devices, and it’s a significant hurdle with this partnership: Will Apple compromise some of its privacy standards to get a functional AI on its products? I hope Apple addresses this when it unveils this rumored health-focused AI assistant.
Also: Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4: I tested the smart rings for health tracking – and the results are very close
The health assistant could work across apps like the Health app, Journal, and the Apple Watch Fitness app to log information without requiring users to manually enter it in multiple places. For example, if a user records a mood in the Journal app: The Health AI could link that mood to physiological data across the user’s Health, Sleep, or Workout apps.
Building on the Sleep Score Apple introduced in September, I’d also love Apple to pull more data from the smartwatch into daily summaries you can review. While testing the Fitbit Air and Google Health Premium, I appreciated receiving a brief overview of my daily activity, bedtime suggestions, and reminders to stay active.
Apple’s role in the health ecosystem centers on privacy and science-driven solutions. I’d love to see its research-based approach applied to a readiness score, stress tracking, or a more powerful wellness recommendation engine.
Interactive and easy-to-understand data
Apple has seemingly treated interactivity as an afterthought in its Health app. This is understandable. It’s not a game or a streaming app; it’s not an app people should need to spend more than five minutes navigating. But the Oura and Google Health apps have shown that users genuinely benefit more from their health devices when data is presented in an interactive and easy-to-digest format.
Also: I wore the Oura Ring 5 for 24 hours – and it solves my biggest complaint about Ring 4
Oura does this best, with sections for daily sleep, activity, and stress scores; a short-term, aggregated view of key biometrics; and the longitudinal health section, which shows information like stress management, sleep health, and heart health.
If Apple gets its health coach and Health app redesign right, this will put the company in a strong position for whatever future wearable it’s developing.
