As technology giants accelerate their penetration into vertical sectors, healthcare is rapidly becoming the fiercest new battleground for artificial intelligence applications, following search and office software. According to 9to5Mac citing informed sources, Apple plans to launch a "revamped" Health app with the iOS 26.4 update scheduled for this spring. This update will introduce AI agents, diet tracking features, and a Fitness+-like video service, aiming to solidify its moat in the health monitoring field by leveraging its hardware advantages and directly challenge the market positions of existing service providers like MyFitnessPal and Noom. Just days before Apple's new developments came to light, the two leading AI companies had already completed their respective entries into the healthcare sector. OpenAI data shows that over 230 million people consult its platform for health questions weekly, prompting the company to launch ChatGPT Health, designed to transform the chatbot into a "personal super assistant" that integrates users' medical records. Simultaneously, Anthropic announced the launch of a medical AI tool compliant with HIPAA standards, which has already been adopted by major healthcare systems including Banner Health. Apple's comprehensive counteroffensive centers on AI agents and diet tracking. Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that Apple's greatest contribution to society will be in the health field. The upcoming iOS 26.4 is set to be a critical step toward realizing this vision. The reported revamp of the Health app in iOS 26.4 is not merely a simple interface update but a comprehensive expansion of its functional capabilities. Diet tracking will be the centerpiece of this overhaul. Apple had previously avoided entering this domain but is now pushing forward "at full speed." This feature will allow users to track calories and assist with weight loss, placing it in direct competition with weight management applications like MyFitnessPal and Noom. Furthermore, Apple is developing an "AI health agent." This feature will utilize all health data from a user's paired devices to provide personalized health and nutrition advice. Insiders reveal that in the future, this functionality might even use the iPhone's rear camera to analyze a user's exercise form in real-time and offer improvement suggestions. On the content services front, Apple is attempting to replicate the successful model of Apple Fitness+ by launching a similar health video service. Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to establish a dedicated facility in Oakland, California, inviting sleep specialists, nutritionists, cardiologists, and others to record instructional videos. The core logic of this service lies in a data-driven feedback loop: when the Health app detects an adverse trend in a user's metrics, such as sleep or heart rate, the system will automatically push relevant expert advice videos. OpenAI's market entry strategy focuses on leveraging its large model capabilities, in contrast to Apple's hardware-centric ecosystem approach. OpenAI's Head of Application Business, Fidji Simo, stated that ChatGPT Health is a significant step towards transforming ChatGPT into a "personal super assistant." To address privacy concerns, ChatGPT Health establishes a separate, isolated space within the chatbot. OpenAI has committed that conversations, files, and data from connected applications within this space will be segregated from other chat histories and will not be used to train its foundational models. Regarding data integration, OpenAI has partnered with infrastructure provider b.well. Users can connect data from Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, and lab testing startup Function to ChatGPT. This open strategy allows OpenAI to leverage the existing health data ecosystem rather than building one from scratch. Anthropic's breakthrough into the B2B market emphasizes compliance and clinical efficiency. Merely days after OpenAI announced its new tool, its main competitor Anthropic revealed a distinctly different approach—deep cultivation of the clinical B2B market. Anthropic announced that its chatbot, Claude, is launching a new medical service compliant with HIPAA standards. This compliance certification serves as a "ticket" for entering the U.S. professional healthcare market, enabling hospitals and medical institutions to legally use the tool for processing protected health information. Anthropic's Chief Product Officer, Mike Krieger, stated, "When we think about the overall economy and where AI can have the biggest impact, once you do the right things on regulation and data, the healthcare industry is really well-suited." Market response indicates the effectiveness of this B2B strategy. Anthropic disclosed that Banner Health, one of the largest U.S. non-profit healthcare systems, already has over 22,000 clinical providers using Claude. Data shows that 85% of users report working faster and with greater accuracy after using it. Additionally, Anthropic has established partnerships with Novo Nordisk and Stanford Health Care.
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