--- title: Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15 description: The new upgrade, out now, brings the iPhone one step closer to becoming the ultimate personal health device. canonical: https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/ author: Alex Fitzpatrick article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2021-09-20T14:43:09.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:02:30.185Z article:section: Health og:title: Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15 og:description: The new upgrade, out now, brings the iPhone one step closer to becoming the ultimate personal health device og:url: https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a7965eb1a14ec13/698a1cf6b21a9c409150529a/Apple_wwdc21-ios15-health-app_hero_06072021.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: Apple iOS 15 Health App og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15 twitter:description: The new upgrade, out now, brings the iPhone one step closer to becoming the ultimate personal health device twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a7965eb1a14ec13/698a1cf6b21a9c409150529a/Apple_wwdc21-ios15-health-app_hero_06072021.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15 > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=24b24edd-9f22-4450-bb83-221ffbfa7e68&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% | Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 | | Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=24b24edd-9f22-4450-bb83-221ffbfa7e68&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=24b24edd-9f22-4450-bb83-221ffbfa7e68&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Tim Cook | 2021 TIME100 [Watch (HLS stream): Tim Cook | 2021 TIME100](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/L7VFF45u.m3u8) (12:11)  _Published 2021-09-13. Tim Cook on innovation and impact.Interviewed by John Simons, TIME Executive Editor._  by [Alex Fitzpatrick](https://time.com/author/alex-fitzpatrick/)  ## Alex Fitzpatrick Sep 20, 2021 2:43 PM UTC  Apple's Health app in iOS 15. Apple's Health app in iOS 15. Apple  by [Alex Fitzpatrick](https://time.com/author/alex-fitzpatrick/)  ## Alex Fitzpatrick Sep 20, 2021 2:43 PM UTC When Apple’s iOS 15 goes live Monday, it will come with the usual bevy of software upgrades meant to enhance slightly older iPhones while also laying the groundwork for the Cupertino, Calif. company’s [next generation of devices](https://time.com/6097970/apple-event-iphone-13/). While most of the tech world will be focused on the headline changes, like a [long-overdue overhaul](https://www.macrumors.com/guide/ios-15-weather-app/) of the default Weather app that centers more useful information, iOS 15 also introduces some major new health features, including new trend analysis and notification abilities, data sharing features, first-of-their-kind health metrics and more. “Since 2014, the Health app’s mission has been to help you make sense of your own health data, and making sure it’s private and secure, all in one place,” says Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple’s VP of Health. “And what you’re going to see on Monday with iOS 15 is that the Health app really comes full circle.” Via the Health app, iPhones have long been able to store users’ health data, whether it’s collected by the handset itself, an Apple Watch, or a compatible third-party device. But iOS 15 brings two new features to the Health app meant to make that data easier to share with others. The first allows iPhone users to share their health metrics with their loved ones, so that, for instance, an adult son or daughter can keep tabs on their parents’ wellbeing, and get an early heads up if anything seems amiss. The second allows easier sharing of users’ health data directly with their physicians. **Read More:** [_5 Big Takeaways From Apple’s iPhone 13 Event, Including 1 Thing iPhone Users Should Do Right Now_](https://time.com/6097970/apple-event-iphone-13/) When it comes to sharing health data, there are obvious privacy concerns at play that will likely be top of mind for many right now, given that Apple recently had to patch a [majority security vulnerability](https://time.com/6097533/apple-emergency-security-patch/) in iPhones and other devices. But Desai says Apple has taken steps to ensure users’ personal information is kept secure—the company doesn’t have access to shared data, for instance, and all shared information is end-to-end encrypted. Furthermore, activating the sharing-between-loved-ones feature requires approval from both parties involved, and people can choose which specific kinds of data they want to share while keeping other metrics to themselves. Apple was also careful to design the data in a way that’s helpful, rather than overwhelming, for physicians and other medical workers. “We wanted to make sure that we could present the information \[to health practitioners\] in a really easy-to-understand, beautiful way that is easily glanceable and should not take more than a few seconds for an individual to process,” Desai says. “There were times when we were designing the dashboard, if something was too complicated, a lot of us would often say, ‘okay, that’s not going to work, because that’s going to make me think about it two times.’ And that’s taking away precious physician-patient time, \[which\] we didn’t want to do.” Also included in the revamped Health app: an entirely new health metric called Walking Steadiness, which uses the iPhone’s built-in sensors to track owners’ balance, strength and gait, and can alert users if they’re at risk of falling. The app also includes exercise tutorials designed to help those who need to boost their steadiness to help prevent falls, which can sometimes lead to serious injury. The feature, Desai says, came about via data from [Apple’s heart study](https://www.apple.com/ios/research-app/), which included more than 100,000 participants. **Read More**: [_Tim Cook on the ‘Basic Human Right’ of Privacy and the Technology That Excites Him the Most_](https://time.com/6099169/tim-cook-apple-privacy/) “This feature is an example of research and science really coming together,” Desai says. “When we started our journey in health, we wanted to make sure that we were partnering with the medical community and science and providing actionable recommendations that can really empower an individual with timely information. And so Walking Steadiness, in our view, really has the potential to increase awareness amongst many who may not know that they may have a problem, and potentially proactively indicate that there are some things that you could start working on.” The Health app is, of course, most powerful in combination with the Apple Watch or other wearable devices, which track metrics—like heart rate, blood oxygenation and more—that the iPhone can’t monitor on its own. But some of the new features in iOS 15, including the new Walking Steadiness metric, don’t require a secondary device, making them accessible to a wider audience at a relatively lower cost of entry. When asked whether Apple would ever consider opening up these Health features for use on non-Apple devices, given their potential to help improve people’s lives and well-being, Desai said that Apple doesn’t comment on future features, but added that it’s “always open to learning about more opportunities for us to consider.” Overall, Desai says, Apple hopes that the new features can offer a “look at your health in a longitudinal way.” “For health, too often, it’s episodic moments of interaction,” she says. “We really want to start having the conversation and change the conversation around being proactive and preventative about your health, and we’re hopeful these sharing features will start a conversation about proactively noticing changes in trends over time.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/"},"headline":"Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15","datePublished":"2021-09-20T14:43:09.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:02:30.185Z","description":"The new upgrade, out now, brings the iPhone one step closer to becoming the ultimate personal health device.","url":"https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/","keywords":["Technology","Tech","biztech2030"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a7965eb1a14ec13/698a1cf6b21a9c409150529a/Apple_wwdc21-ios15-health-app_hero_06072021.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alex Fitzpatrick","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alex-fitzpatrick/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a7965eb1a14ec13/698a1cf6b21a9c409150529a/Apple_wwdc21-ios15-health-app_hero_06072021.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Apple iOS 15 Health App","caption":"Apple iOS 15 Health App","creditText":"Apple","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/technology/","name":"Technology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/","name":"Why Apple's Health App Could Be the Sleeper Hit of iOS 15"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Tim Cook | 2021 TIME100","description":"Tim Cook on innovation and impact.Interviewed by John Simons, TIME Executive Editor.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/L7VFF45u/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2021-09-13T14:18:00.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/L7VFF45u.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/","duration":"PT12M11S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/6099217/apple-ios-15-health-app/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```