In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.
Don't Underestimate Apple's Shot at On-Device Medical AI
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Hi Reader, There's a rumor that Apple is working on an on-device medical AI. The idea is that your iPhone or Apple Watch could use its onboard silicon to privately analyze your health data and offer recommendations, without sending that sensitive information to the cloud. The general vibe I'm seeing in response to this rumor is justified skepticism. Plenty of folks out there think there's no way Apple can pull this off, but I think this is exactly the kind of thing they should be doing. This idea presents an opportunity for Apple. Apple has been steadily building up its health tech for years. With features like Atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection, ECG, and Fall Detection, they've proven they can deliver meaningful health tools. And they've done it with an eye toward user privacy and accessible design. Now, imagine layering a personalized AI model on top of that foundation — something smart enough to notice patterns in your vitals, flag potential concerns, or even offer preventative guidance. And because Apple controls the hardware, they could run that AI model entirely on-device. That means your health data stays private, living only on your phone or watch, not bouncing around in the cloud. Apple's unique position here — owning both the hardware and the operating system — gives them access to a depth of personal health data that no off-the-shelf Large Language Model could ever touch. Combine that with their Neural Engine and you have a real opportunity to do something both powerful and private. This also feels like a moment for Apple to make a statement with "Apple Intelligence." So far, Apple’s AI initiative has been underwhelming and disappointing. This could be a way for them to reset expectations with something carefully designed, respectful of privacy, and genuinely useful. Of course, this only works if they get it right. Rushing something half-baked out the door won't cut it, especially when people’s health (and Apple’s AI reputation) is at stake. But if they take their time and nail the execution, this could be a defining moment for Apple’s AI efforts and one more key feature that saves lives. I hope the rumor's true and that Apple gives this the time and resources it deserves. It could be something special. In the NewsLeaky Apple Intelligence There’s been a lot of interesting investigative reporting about how Apple got behind on AI and why Siri is such a mess. The good news is that it looks like they are righting the ship. The $2,300 iPhone There’s a rumor that when Apple releases a rumored folding iPhone in 2026, it will cost $2,300. (And that’s not even counting the impact of tariffs.) Don’t get too hung up on that just yet. Rumored Apple pricing (especially this far out) is truly just speculation. Your pal, Sponsor: TerminologyThis week's newsletter is sponsored by Terminology, the intelligent word exploration app that just received its biggest update since 2010. Whether you're a writer, researcher, or language enthusiast, Terminology goes beyond traditional dictionaries to provide a comprehensive reference tool. What makes Terminology special? • Built on WordNet's offline dictionary • Customizable AI prompts for deeper insights • Enhanced note-taking capabilities • Multiple term lists • Seamless integration with online resources The app has been completely rebuilt in SwiftUI and features an actively maintained word database. For power users, the new Pro tier unlocks custom resources, multiple-term lists, and advanced note-taking features. |
David Sparks (MacSparky)
In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.
THE MACSPARKY DISPATCH Hi Friend,Last night I had an interesting experience. I was watching a baseball game with my wife, and she looked at me and said, "Didn't that guy pitch last night?" I told her no. She looked at me the way wives sometimes look at husbands, and then she pulled out her phone, activated Siri AI, and asked it, "Did number 59 on the Dodgers pitch last night?" Sure enough, Siri AI reported, he did. Then she smiled at me and set her phone down. Gang, Siri is good at world...
THE MACSPARKY DISPATCH Hi Friend, I recently did a quarterly planning session with some of the MacSparky Labs members. I do that every quarter and find it really rewarding. It gives us a bit of a personal accountability circle. During the session, I started talking about the importance of quarterly review. Now I know, reading this, you're thinking that the new year is just around the corner. If you're going to start thinking about planning and priorities, that seems like the ideal time to do...
THE MACSPARKY DISPATCH Hi Friend, There is a world of difference between asking a robot, “Help me do this,” and asking, “What should I do?” AI can be remarkably good at the first question but lead you astray with the second. New users often learn that distinction the expensive way. I’ve taught thousands of people how to use agentic AI, and I’ve seen a similar pattern. People get into trouble after they have some success with AI and try to push it further. Quite often, the thing they want on...