Apple has a reputation for creating game-changing products. Its done this in a variety of categories spanning its history of hardware, software, and services. But its natural to always seek out the next big thing. Apples CEO Tim Cook though, interestingly enough, has already told us what it isand now its starting to take shape.In search of the next big thing thats already hereEvery year, Wall Street and tech followers like to pose the question: what will be Apples next big thing?A product with an iPhone-sized impact, whether thats a new car, AI, or something else radically different and game-changing.While its probably unfair to expect such a huge new innovation from Apple every few years, the company has sort of earned the pressure with its history of success.But what is Apples next big thing is already here?Repeatedly over multiple years, Tim Cook has commented on what he believes Apples biggest world-changer will be. The area Apple will make its greatest contribution to society.His answer? Health.Heres Cook in a recent WIRED interview:Its clear to me that if you zoom out way into the future, and you look back and ask what Apples biggest contribution was, it will be in the health area. Thats what I really believe.Health is a seemingly abstract concept, but at Apple, it primarily means wearables.Health and wearables: two inseparable bets for Apples futureHealth for Apple cant be separated from its product companion: wearables.Apple currently offers three main categories of wearables:Apple WatchAirPodsVisionApple Watch has been wildly successful, and so have AirPods.Vision Pro is just getting started, but it has a bright future ahead.Yet in all three cases, theres still tremendous potential for growth.Thats true for various reasons. But health is an especially key part of the story.Health, in many ways, can turn Apples wearables from nice-to-haves into something approaching indispensable.Health will make Apples biggest impact yetthrough wearablesUp until recently, most of us likely assumed Tim Cooks health comments were referencing the Apple Watch and its health features.As such, they perhaps seemed a bit hyperbolic.Then just two months ago, Apple added major new health features to AirPods Pro 2. And even more are reportedly on the way.You have to think Vision Pro and its successors will be next. Theres already:an excellent Mindfulness app in visionOSpowerful Live Captions for the deaf and more and future headsets that arent as heavy will no doubt offer compelling Apple Fitness+ experiences.With three wearable products all branching out into health in the future, it becomes much easier to see things from Tim Cooks point of view.If wearables can save your life, improve your hearing, and otherwise improve your health in significant waysyou wont ever want to go without them.Tim Cook on Apples next big thing: Wrap-upWere still in the early days of Apples ambitions for both health and wearables. But the pieces from this past decade help set the stage for an especially exciting decade ahead.They also prove that we should perhaps take Tim Cooks words more seriously.Do you think health and wearables will be Apples next big thing? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel