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, As we all experiment with AI and how it can help, I went down a rabbit hole over the last month that I wanted to share. I called it “The Daybook”. It was an automated daily note. It ran every night, pulling in my calendar, my open tasks, my repeating chores, and anything else I might need before the day started. It was pretty advanced and I enjoyed building it. But I found myself not looking at it. So I tinkered with it. And I still didn’t read it. The...
THE MACSPARKY DISPATCH Hi Friend, Back when I was practicing law, I created an automation that used the terminal, AppleScript, and chewing gum to make a weekly status report for the staff. It was formatted beautifully. It went out like clockwork, and I spent too much time building it. Then one day in a meeting I asked about something from that week’s report. Nobody had read it. Not once, not ever. I want to tell you the lesson there was about automation. It wasn’t. The report ran perfectly....
THE MACSPARKY DISPATCH Hi Friend, I’ve been running Apple’s beta software this year and I keep forgetting it’s there. And that got me thinking. This is the smoothest beta cycle in years. Apple shipped one genuinely big new thing, Siri AI, the one we’ve all been waiting on, and then spent the rest of the summer fixing bugs and sanding down rough edges instead of stacking six more headline features on top. They delivered on a prior promise instead of making three shiny new ones they couldn’t...