Apple is developing prototypes for a screen-free fitness band to rival Whoop as part of a broader push to refresh its health and wearable technology.
- The prototype features a minimalist design: a lightweight fabric strap with integrated sensors, with no screen.
- Top Apple executives, including Executive Chairman Tim Cook and services chief Eddy Cue, are backing the initiative to counter fast-growing competitors like Whoop and Oura.
- The project remains in an exploratory phase, with a potential consumer release not expected before 2028.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is developing a screenless health and fitness band designed to compete directly with devices from Whoop Inc., marking a potential shift in how the tech giant approaches its market-leading wearable strategy, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
The Cupertino-based company has explored the concept for several months and created early-stage prototypes. Top leadership, including Executive Chairman Tim Cook and services chief Eddy Cue, has backed the initiative, though Apple has not officially committed to bringing the product to market, according to people familiar with the matter.
The device is currently classified internally as a “technology investigation”. If greenlit, the report said, a commercial debut would not occur until at least 2028. An Apple representative declined to comment on the project.
AAPL stock rose 0.7% on Tuesday, hitting record highs, also supported by the successful launch of the first foldable phone, iPhone Duo, and Siri AI.
Apple’s New Health Tracker?
Unlike the display-driven Apple Watch, which balances full-color touchscreens with apps and communications, the proposed tracker consists of a thin fabric band paired with a sensor-loaded module. Eliminating the screen allows the device to focus purely on biometrics and fitness monitoring.
The pivot reflects broader changes in the health ecosystem. Fast-growing rivals like Whoop—currently valued at around $10 billion—and smart ring creator Oura Inc., which filed for an initial public offering this month, have captured millions of users by offering streamlined, distraction-free health tracking. Alphabet Inc.’s Google (GOOG, GOOGL) has also entered the space with its Fitbit Air, while Garmin (GRMN) continues to sell display-free fitness bands.
Management Shifts And Software Strategy
The hardware push comes amid a significant leadership transition inside Apple’s health and watch divisions. Former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams retired late last year, while former Apple Watch marketing head Stan Ng and fitness chief Jay Blahnik have also departed.
Cue, who assumed oversight of Apple’s health operations late last year, has actively encouraged the development team to draw inspiration from simplified competitor interfaces.
Apple has already begun laying the software groundwork for screen-free health monitoring. Recent software updates feature enhanced heart-rate algorithms, daily readiness indicators, and biological age estimations.
Apple’s Wearables Roadmap
Engineers from Apple’s Vision hardware team—who previously worked on the Vision Pro headset and are developing smart glasses and camera-equipped AirPods for 2027—have contributed to early engineering work on the band.
Beyond the screenless band, Apple is working on a substantial redesign of the primary Apple Watch line slated for late 2027, alongside ongoing artificial intelligence efforts to summarize daily user activities.
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