Apple is exploring ways to turn future smart glasses and headsets into health and fitness devices, building on the company’s growing focus on wearables. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company wants its Vision Products Group to develop health experiences that combine spatial computing, sensors and consumer wellness.

The plan does not appear ready for Apple’s first-generation smart glasses, which are expected to focus on core features before gaining more advanced health capabilities in later versions.

Apple previously explored a similar approach with the Vision Pro headset. The company reportedly considered a version of Apple Fitness+ designed for the device, allowing users to follow workouts while the headset tracked body movements and analyzed exercise performance. However, the idea was abandoned because of technical challenges and the headset’s weight, according to Bloomberg.

Smart glasses offer a different opportunity because they are designed to be worn more naturally throughout the day. Apple is reportedly looking at using sensors built into the glasses to collect movement and health data.

A Bloomberg report said Apple’s Vision Products Group is hiring a “strategic product design leader” to “define the future of health, well-being and fitness experiences across vision products.” The role also involves finding opportunities at the intersection of “spatial computing, wearables, consumer health and human behavior.”

The hiring signals that Apple sees health as a long-term part of its glasses strategy rather than just an experimental feature.

How Apple could expand its wearable health ecosystem

Apple already has a health ecosystem spread across products such as the Apple Watch and AirPods. Adding smart glasses could give the company another way to collect health-related information and provide users with hands-free guidance.

Possible future uses could include workout assistance, movement analysis and fitness coaching. Cameras and sensors could allow the glasses to understand a user’s activity and provide feedback, although the exact features remain unclear.

This approach could help Apple compete in a growing smart glasses market where companies are adding artificial intelligence and wearable features. However, Apple will need to balance useful sensing capabilities with privacy concerns surrounding camera-equipped eyewear.

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Privacy and technical challenges remain

Smart glasses face challenges that traditional wearables do not. Cameras mounted on glasses can raise concerns about when users are recording or collecting information about people nearby.

Apple has reportedly been considering ways to address those concerns, including limiting how cameras are used. But reducing camera functionality could also limit some of the advanced AI and fitness features that make smart glasses attractive.

The company also needs to solve practical issues around battery life, sensor accuracy and comfort. Health tracking requires devices that people are willing to wear regularly, not just occasionally.

Apple’s bigger wearable strategy

Apple’s move into health-focused smart glasses suggests the company sees wearables as more than accessories. The long-term goal appears to be creating a broader ecosystem where devices work together to support communication, fitness and personal health.

The challenge will be proving that smart glasses can offer something users cannot already get from an Apple Watch or AirPods. If Apple succeeds, glasses could become a new category of health technology. If the benefits are unclear, consumers may see them as another expensive device looking for a purpose.

Also read: Discover five ways the Apple Watch uses health and fitness features to help users monitor their well-being.

The South Korean government said Friday it plans to establish a new strategic investment account within the state-run Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) with at least 20 trillion won, or about $14 billion, in initial funding.

The fund is expected to begin operations next year after lawmakers consider amendments to the Korea Investment Corporation Act.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the fund will focus on long-term investments in AI, data centers, infrastructure and other strategic sectors, including semiconductors, robotics, biotechnology, aerospace and energy-related projects.

The government said the move is intended to help strengthen national competitiveness and attract additional investment from global sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors.

KIC has traditionally managed overseas assets tied to South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves. The new account would give the organization a mandate to invest in domestic assets while keeping its investment decisions separate from its existing foreign reserve portfolio.

Seoul Economic Daily reported that the fund will begin with at least 20 trillion won in capital, including contributions from public financial institutions such as the Korea Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Industrial Bank of Korea, along with shares received through inheritance and gift tax payments.

The government plans to submit the legal revisions to Parliament next month and aims to have the legislation approved this year.

Announcement follows sharp market swings

The announcement came after a turbulent week for South Korean equities. The benchmark Kospi index had fallen more than 17% over three trading sessions before rebounding sharply Friday, when it surged a record 18%.

Officials said the sovereign fund proposal was not created as a market stabilization measure.

“The government has been planning a new strategic fund since last year and has been coordinating and developing the plans with relevant ministries,” the Finance Ministry said, according to Bloomberg. “The plan is not related to the market stabilization plans, and it is one of the government’s major projects that has been pursued since last year.”

Investor sentiment improved Friday alongside a broader rebound in global technology stocks, with chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix posting strong gains.

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What this could change

If approved, the fund would give South Korea a dedicated source of long-term capital for AI infrastructure and strategic industries at a time when countries are competing aggressively to secure semiconductor capacity, computing infrastructure and advanced technology supply chains.

Unlike many government-backed investment programs that operate on fixed timelines, the proposed fund is designed to hold investments for extended periods and reinvest returns, potentially allowing the state to remain invested as companies grow.

The approach could make South Korea a more attractive partner for global AI and infrastructure investors, but it also increases the government’s exposure to sectors that remain volatile.

AI-related assets have experienced large swings in valuation this year, and the success of the fund will ultimately depend on whether long-term technology investments generate returns that justify the public capital committed to them.

Also read: Samsung Heavy Industries plans to commercialize a floating AI data center platform by 2028 as land, power, and cooling constraints reshape infrastructure planning.

The rumor mill is already painting a picture of what could be one of Apple’s biggest hardware launches in years.

Apple has not revealed any of the products expected to be announced in September. Its official Apple Events page currently lists WWDC 2026 as its latest major event. Still, reporting from Bloomberg, MacRumors, respected supply-chain analysts, and other longtime Apple watchers points toward a lineup that could include the iPhone 18 Pro series, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, and updated Apple Watches.

Here’s what the most credible reporting suggests today, ranked by how likely each announcement appears.

1. iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Likelihood: Almost certain

This is the easiest prediction to make.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max during its traditional September launch window. According to MacRumors’ coverage of Gurman’s expected event timing, Sept. 8 or Sept. 9 are currently viewed as the most likely event dates, although Apple has not confirmed either one.

Current rumors suggest the phones will largely retain the existing Pro design while receiving several internal and camera upgrades. According to MacRumors’ iPhone 18 Pro rumor roundup, those upgrades could include Apple’s new A20 Pro chip built on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process, a more efficient display, longer battery life, and a variable-aperture main camera.

Apple’s next-generation C2 modem has also been widely rumored. However, MacRumors recently reported that leaked component information suggests Apple could use its own modem internationally while continuing to rely on Qualcomm hardware in U.S. models because of mmWave support.

The rumored 2nm A20 Pro chip is expected to improve both performance and power efficiency, although Apple has not confirmed the processor or released any performance benchmarks. Those efficiency gains could also benefit future Apple Intelligence features that run directly on the device.

2. Apple’s first foldable iPhone

Likelihood: Very likely to be announced; release timing remains uncertain

The biggest headline of the event may also be Apple’s most ambitious iPhone redesign in years.

Gurman has reported that Apple’s first foldable iPhone remains on track to debut during the company’s fall launch event. Separately, JPMorgan also expects a September unveiling, according to MacRumors’ report on the bank’s forecast.

Multiple reports describe a book-style foldable with an approximately 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display that opens into a tablet-sized experience.

Apple has reportedly spent years trying to reduce the visible crease that affects many competing foldable phones. According to MacRumors’ reporting on Apple’s display technology, Samsung developed a new display panel specifically designed to minimize the crease.

Supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also predicted the foldable could replace Face ID with Touch ID integrated into the power button while using a dual-camera rear system instead of the three-camera array found on today’s Pro iPhones. MacRumors summarized Kuo’s expectations here.

While Bloomberg expects Apple to unveil the foldable this September, Kuo believes the commercial launch could slip into the fourth quarter. In other words, Apple may announce the phone during its keynote but delay preorders or shipments until later in the fall. Apple has not confirmed the device, its specifications, pricing or release schedule.

3. A variable-aperture camera

Likelihood: Likely

Rather than dramatically redesigning the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple may focus on photography.

The main 48-megapixel camera on both Pro models could receive a variable aperture, according to MacRumors’ roundup of the top rumored iPhone 18 Pro features.

Unlike the fixed aperture used by current iPhones, a variable aperture allows the lens to control how much light reaches the sensor. That could improve low-light photography while also giving photographers more control over depth of field.

Android manufacturers have offered similar technology for several years, but it would represent a first for Apple’s smartphone lineup.

4. A smaller Dynamic Island

Likelihood: Possible, but disputed

The Dynamic Island remains one of the least settled iPhone 18 rumors.

Several analysts and leakers believe Apple could move portions of the Face ID system underneath the display, resulting in a narrower Dynamic Island. According to MacRumors’ roundup of iPhone 18 Pro rumors, multiple supply-chain reports support that possibility.

However, not everyone agrees.

Later CAD renders suggested a smaller cutout, but MacRumors noted that the source behind those renders does not yet have a lengthy Apple track record. Other leakers have suggested the change could be postponed until the iPhone 19.

At this point, a completely uninterrupted display appears unlikely this year. Whether the Dynamic Island becomes noticeably smaller remains one of the biggest unanswered questions heading into Apple’s event.

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5. Apple Watch Series 12

Likelihood: Almost certain

Unlike the iPhone, Apple’s flagship smartwatch isn’t expected to receive a dramatic redesign.

According to MacRumors’ summary of Mark Gurman’s reporting, the Apple Watch Series 12 will likely focus on faster performance and continued improvements to health and fitness tracking.

Some rumors have also pointed toward improved battery life, although those reports aren’t as consistently supported as the processor upgrade.

Earlier leaks suggested Apple could add Touch ID to the Apple Watch. However, more recent reporting makes that seem increasingly unlikely, and Gurman does not expect a significant redesign this year.

For most buyers, faster performance and better health features would likely matter more than another cosmetic update.

6. Apple Watch Ultra 4

Likelihood: Likely

Apple is also expected to refresh its premium outdoor-focused smartwatch.

Current reporting suggests the Ultra 4 will receive many of the same improvements expected for the Series 12, including a newer processor and refinements to health and fitness features.

According to MacRumors’ Apple Watch preview, Gurman does not expect a major redesign for either watch this year.

That would make the Ultra 4 more of an evolutionary update than a dramatic leap over the current generation.

7. No standard iPhone 18

Likelihood: Very likely

One of the event’s biggest surprises may involve a phone Apple reportedly won’t announce.

Multiple reports suggest Apple plans to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and foldable iPhone this fall while delaying the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and possibly the next iPhone Air until spring 2027.

According to MacRumors’ overview of Apple’s rumored iPhone 18 release strategy, the split launch would represent one of the biggest changes to Apple’s release calendar in years.

If accurate, buyers interested in Apple’s entry-level flagship may have to wait several additional months, while those shopping this fall would choose from Apple’s premium lineup instead.

What probably won’t appear

Earlier rumors suggested Apple could introduce AirPods equipped with infrared cameras this year. However, that now appears unlikely.

According to MacRumors’ summary of Bloomberg’s latest reporting, the camera-equipped AirPods are now expected to arrive in late 2027 alongside Apple’s 20th-anniversary iPhone.

New Macs, iPads and smart home products are also widely expected to receive separate announcements later in the year rather than sharing the spotlight with Apple’s flagship iPhone launch.

Until Apple officially sends invitations, every product, feature and timeline discussed here should be treated as a rumor rather than a confirmation. Even so, the reports are beginning to converge. For anyone considering a new iPhone or Apple Watch, waiting a few more weeks could provide a much clearer picture of Apple’s next generation of hardware and whether it’s worth upgrading.

How we ranked the rumors

We ranked each rumor based on the strength and consistency of the reporting behind it. Claims supported by multiple reputable sources, including Bloomberg, established Apple analysts and supply-chain reporting, received higher likelihood ratings. Rumors based on a single leak, disputed information, or unclear launch timing were rated more cautiously.

The rankings are not guarantees. Apple has not confirmed any of these products or features, and its plans could change before the event. The goal is to help readers distinguish the most credible expectations from the more speculative possibilities before deciding whether to upgrade or wait.

Related reading: If you’re also considering a new Mac, check out our guide to the rumored second-generation MacBook Neo and what its reported upgrades could mean for buyers.