Apple developing screenless fitness tracker to rival Whoop, Bloomberg reports

Apple ↘ 0.80% is building prototypes of a screenless health and fitness tracker designed to compete with Whoop, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The device, still in an early development phase, would mark a departure from the display-centric Apple Watch and push the company deeper into a fast-growing segment of the wearables market.bloomberg

A Fabric Band Without a Screen

The prototypes feature a thin fabric band with a sensor-equipped computing module that tracks heart rate and other health metrics. The absence of a screen would differentiate the device from the Apple Watch, which combines fitness tracking with apps, notifications, and other functions.macrumors+2

The project remains in what Apple internally calls a "technology investigation" phase, and the company has not decided whether to release the product. If Apple moves forward, the device would not launch before 2028.9to5mac+2

Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook and services chief Eddy Cue have taken a particular interest in the project, according to Bloomberg. Cue assumed leadership of Apple's health initiatives late last year following the retirement of Jeff Williams, the former chief operating officer who had overseen the watch and health divisions. Cue has pushed Apple's health team to adopt features from rivals whose products offer simpler, fitness-focused interfaces.theedgemalaysia+2

A Crowded and Growing Market

The potential tracker would enter a market where competitors have gained traction. Whoop, now valued at roughly $10 billion, has told Bloomberg it is considering an eventual IPO. Oura, the smart ring maker, launched its initial public offering this week, having revealed that it sold 3.6 million rings in the 12 months ending June 30 and grew revenue 74% to $1.21 billion for the nine months ending June 30. Alphabet's ↘ 3.58% Google has also entered the screenless wearables space with the Fitbit Air, while Garmin ↗ 1.02% offers smart bands without displays.theedgemalaysia+1

Garmin shares fell as much as 2.5% following the Bloomberg report on Tuesday.theedgemalaysia

Apple Watch Evolution Continues

Apple has already begun incorporating Whoop-style features into its latest hardware. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, launched on September 18, include a Readiness app that scores users' daily fitness on a scale of 0 to 10, along with continuous heart rate tracking and biological age estimates. Apple is also working on a major redesign of its smartwatch lineup for release as early as late 2027.hypebeast+3

An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the reported project.investing