Apple is set to reorganize its health and fitness divisions under its Services group, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The move comes as longtime chief operating officer Jeff Williams prepares to depart at the end of this year.
Services chief Eddy Cue will reportedly gain oversight of Apple's health and fitness teams, with the groups being consolidated under health lead Sumbul Desai. Meanwhile, Fitness+ head Jay Blahnik will report to Desai in the new structure. Both teams had previously reported to Williams.
Gurman suggests the reorganization is being timed with Apple's plans to launch a new Health+ subscription service, which he first reported on in March. The offering is said to feature an AI assistant providing personalized recommendations on nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Apple plans to launch the new service next year.
Elsewhere, Gurman reports that Craig Federighi will add watchOS to his software oversight, while hardware chief John Ternus – tipped to eventually succeed Tim Cook in the CEO role – will assume sole control of Apple Watch hardware engineering.
Cue already manages Apple's streaming services, iCloud, Maps, and other digital offerings, and placing health and fitness under his Services umbrella suggests Apple wants to transform its wellness initiatives into a more significant revenue stream.
Williams has been transferring his responsibilities since announcing his retirement in July, with supply chain and operations duties moving to new operating chief Sabih Khan.
