It was one of Cupertino's most ambitious promises for 2026: to turn your iPhone into a true pocket medical consultant. However, Apple has decided to put a brutal halt to its "Mulberry" project, an internal initiative aimed at creating an artificial intelligence-powered health coach.
While rumors had been swirling for months about a potentially paid service (often nicknamed "Health+" by analysts), the reality is harsher. According to the latest information from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple has discreetly dismantled the team dedicated to this project in recent weeks, preferring to rethink its approach rather than launch a product deemed insufficient in the face of fierce competition.
Mulberry: An Exaggerated Ambition
The idea behind Mulberry was appealing. Apple no longer wanted to just display your steps or heart rate; the company wanted to interpret this data. The project mobilized colossal resources:
An army of experts: Apple had recruited doctors, nutritionists, cardiologists, and sleep specialists to train its AI models.
A dedicated studio: A facility in Oakland (California) had even been set up to shoot professional educational videos, intended to accompany the AI's advice.
Total integration: The service was intended to merge data from the Apple Watch and iPhone to offer personalized wellness plans, ranging from diet to sleep management.
Initially planned to accompany iOS 26 (or iOS 19.4 according to previous internal naming conventions), this "super-assistant" was to mark Apple's definitive entry into the era of predictive health.
Why did the project "crash"?
The abandonment of Mulberry in its initial form is not an accident, but the result of a major restructuring at the top of Apple. Two key factors explain this reversal:
The departure of historical figures: The end of 2025 saw the retirement of Jeff Williams, the director of operations who had overseen health for years. It is Eddy Cue, the head of Services (Apple Music, iCloud), who took over the reins. Known for his pragmatism, Cue quickly audited the project and made decisive cuts.
Competitive pressure: Internally, Eddy Cue reportedly judged that Mulberry was not not competitive enough facing specialized players like Oura (smart rings) or Whoop, which already offer very advanced analysis and excellent user retention. Apple realized that a simple "health chatbot" would not be enough to convince users to pay an additional subscription.
The Future: A "spare parts" strategy
If the monolithic Mulberry project is dead, the technology lives on. Apple is now adopting a more incremental strategy. Instead of a major revolution, the planned features will be rolled out gradually in the existing Health app:
Analysis of the approach: A feature using the iPhone's camera to detect mobility issues is still in the works.
Generative AI: Work on language models (LLMs) continues. Apple is relying on an internal system called "World Knowledge Answers" to enable Siri to answer complex health questions with medical accuracy, likely starting with iOS 27.
Video content: The expensive videos shot in Oakland will not be discarded; they should be integrated for free or via Fitness+ to enrich the current user experience.
In short, your iPhone will not replace your doctor tomorrow morning. Apple has chosen caution, preferring to perfect its existing tools rather than risk a failed launch on a subject as sensitive as health.
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