Apple’s iOS 27 Health Pivot Signals Apple Isn’t Forcing Another Subscription Yet

Apple’s services business has been growing for years, and with that growth has come a familiar frustration for some users: the feeling that more features are being placed behind recurring fees. That subscription fatigue has become part of the conversation whenever Apple introduces a new bundle or paid add-on, especially as the company’s portfolio of services continues to expand.

In that context, a new report flagged a notable change of direction inside Apple’s health efforts for iOS 27. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple has moved away from plans for a paid “Health+” service that had been in development.

The report frames the shift as a leadership decision. Eddy Cue has reportedly taken on leadership of the Health division, and he did not view the planned AI-powered Health+ subscription as the right approach. Instead of launching a single paid service, Apple now plans to bring some of the features that were meant for Health+ into the existing Health app, rolling them out individually over time.

Two features are specifically mentioned as part of what iOS 27 is expected to introduce. One is video content created by Apple, described as material designed to explain medical conditions, guide users through training plans, and offer wellness education. The other is personalized, AI-generated recommendations that suggest ways users can improve their health, based on data already present in the Health app.

The same report indicates that additional features originally tied to the planned service will keep arriving inside the Health app over time. The key point, as presented, is that these upgrades would come without requiring users to sign up for a new recurring payment.

The response to subscription expansion has been mixed in recent months, including around Apple’s Creator Studio bundle, which drew criticism from people tired of adding yet another monthly bill. Against that backdrop, the idea of major Health app upgrades arriving free in iOS 27 and beyond is likely to land as a relief for that audience.

At the same time, the discussion around subscriptions isn’t going away. Even the report’s framing acknowledges a middle ground, where new subscriptions can make sense in some cases, while other improvements may be better delivered as part of the core software experience.

For now, the iOS 27 Health pivot stands out as an example of Apple choosing a different route: taking planned premium features and folding them back into the standard app experience, gradually, and without a fresh paywall.