[Kleftiwallah]

 Will my apple tree water shoots (at the top of the tree) become fruit bearing branches...eventually?

Cheers,  Tony.

[Aunt Sally]

Yes they will, but you probably have too many of them.

Water shoots grow because of winter pruning and should be summer pruned to thin and shortened to create fruiting spurs, or replacement branches.

[Kleftiwallah]

I shall curtail my eagerness with the secetaurs !

Cheers,  Tony.

[Aunt Sally]

You could thin them out during the winter to shape the tree, Tony.  But summer pruning to produce fruiting growth will be necessary.

Have a look at this guide:

https://www.quickcrop.ie/blog/2018/03/pruning-apple-trees-2/