Apple is restructuring as Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams prepares to retire at the end of the year. The company is moving its health and fitness work under the Services division, led by Eddy Cue, and shifting watchOS to Craig Federighi. Hardware head John Ternus will take full charge of Apple Watch hardware engineering. The reorganization clarifies responsibilities and signals a tighter integration between Services, hardware, and software teams.
Williams began transferring his duties after announcing his retirement in July. Sabih Khan now oversees Apple’s supply chain, operations, AppleCare, and China business. The leadership reshuffle comes as Apple aims to strengthen continuity across product and service lines.
Leadership changes
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the health and fitness teams, previously reporting to Williams, will now report to Cue, with Sumbul Desai leading both health and fitness efforts. Jay Blahnik, head of Fitness+, will report to Desai. The report also confirms that watchOS will now fall under Federighi, who already manages Siri and visionOS development.
Bloomberg added that Ternus, often seen as a possible successor to Tim Cook, gains complete authority over Apple Watch hardware. Meanwhile, Apple’s hardware and software design leads, Molly Anderson and Alan Dye, will report directly to Cook once Williams departs.
Apple declined to comment on the reshuffle.
Health+ and Apple’s expanding Services vision
The reorganization arrives as Apple plans to launch Health+, an AI-based subscription designed to guide users on exercise, nutrition, and sleep. By bringing health and fitness under Cue, Apple is positioning wellness as part of its growing subscription business, which already includes Fitness+, TV+, and iCloud.
Desai’s expanded oversight follows an internal review involving Fitness+ management. The unified structure gives Apple a clearer command chain and aligns medical research, clinical validation, and digital health products under one executive.
Preparing for next transition
The executive shuffle also hints at succession planning. Ternus, the youngest member of Apple’s leadership team at 50, is gaining influence across product development and strategy. Other senior figures, including AI chief John Giannandrea and environment head Lisa Jackson, are also nearing potential transitions.
For users, this shift means health and fitness features will increasingly tie into Apple’s subscription services. For Apple, it’s another step toward turning wellness into a recurring revenue stream that extends beyond hardware.
