Apple reportedly develops screenless fitness tracker to challenge Whoop

Apple Explores Screenless Fitness Tracker Market

Apple is now reportedly developing a screenless fitness tracker to compete with Whoop, according to Bloomberg industry reporter Mark Gurman, who published the report on Tuesday.

Apple's prototypes feature a thin fabric band with a small sensor-equipped computing module, Gurman wrote in his latest report on Tuesday. The company has spent several months researching the idea and is now building prototype hardware with support from top executives.

Apple is still undecided about the project's future, and the device currently remains in what the company calls an internal technology investigation phase, according to Gurman.

If Apple proceeds with the plan, the screenless tracker would not launch before 2028 at the earliest, the Bloomberg report said. The project also has support from Apple executive chairman Tim Cook and Services and Health chief Eddy Cue, Gurman reported.

Gurman said Cue reportedly pushed Apple's health team to adopt features from newer rivals, whose products offer simpler interfaces focused squarely on fitness and health tracking.

Device Aims to Complement Apple Watch

The device would complement the Apple Watch rather than replace it, giving users a way to track health around the clock. It would collect fitness data in the background, with users viewing information through Apple's Health and Fitness apps on iPhone.

Without a display, the tracker on a wrist could be notably smaller and less distracting, and its battery might potentially last more than two weeks between charges.

Whoop's screenless wristbands can run more than two weeks without a recharge, while regular Apple Watch models need charging almost daily. A simpler basic device might also cost less than an Apple Watch, which starts at $249 in the United States.

Apple's major rivals include Whoop's 5.0 and MG bands, which also offer advanced FDA-cleared ECG and blood pressure estimates through expensive recurring yearly subscriptions for consumers.

Google's Fitbit Air sells for $99 in the United States and keeps its core experience available for free, according to reports. Apple previously explored a smart ring but decided against it, and the design team is now considering other wearable ideas.

Apple Health App and Watch Updates

Apple is also preparing a major Health app revamp with new Insights and Longevity tabs arriving later this year through an upcoming iOS 27 software update.

The app will include Guidance suggestions and a Readiness tab that advises users to Recover, Pace Yourself, or Go For It. Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, which started shipping on Friday, September 18, introduced a new Health Sensing System.

The new Readiness app gives users a daily score from 0 to 10, while the Series 12 already measures heart rate variability roughly every five minutes.

Apple's recent major heart study used the Whoop 5 as a comparison point, apparently directly signaling the company's strong interest in recovery and health tracking data.

It remains unclear whether the new Health app will fully work with third-party trackers for sections like Fitness and Longevity. Apple has not committed to releasing the screenless tracker, and even if it does, the product is not expected before 2028.