Apple is developing a health and fitness tracker with no display, built to take on Whoop’s popular wrist-worn bands. The device is still at the prototype stage, and Apple hasn’t committed to releasing it.
The project was reported by Bloomberg, which says Apple has spent several months exploring the category and has now moved on to building prototypes. Top executives support the effort, but no final decision on shipping it has been made.
Apple’s Prototype Pairs a Fabric Band With a Wrist-Worn Sensor Module
The prototypes use a thin fabric band attached to a small computing module that rests against the wrist. Sensors in the module track heart rate and other health metrics, much like the ones inside the Apple Watch.
Bloomberg describes the work as being in a “technology investigation” phase. That is an early step in Apple’s product process, well before any design gets locked for manufacturing.
Apple chairman Tim Cook and services chief Eddy Cue are both behind the project. Cue took over Apple’s health teams last October after Jeff Williams left the company, and he has been pushing those teams toward simpler wearables in the mold of Whoop and the Oura Ring.
The idea has come up before, in August, Apple was reported to be exploring circular Apple Watch designs and screenless fitness devices as part of a wider rethink of its wearable lineup. According to the new report, that exploration has now produced working hardware.
Whoop, Google, and Garmin Already Sell Screenless Bands in the US
Apple would be entering a crowded category. Screenless trackers have become one of the busiest parts of the wearables market in 2026, with Google and Garmin both launching Whoop rivals this year.
- Whoop 5.0 comes free with a Whoop membership, which costs $199 to $359 per year depending on the tier.
- Google Fitbit Air went on sale in May for $99.99, with an optional Fitbit Premium subscription at $10 per month or $100 per year.
- Garmin Cirqa Smart Band launched on July 24 for $199.99, with no subscription required and up to 10 days of battery life.
- Oura Ring sold 3.6 million units in the 12 months ending June 30, as Oura prepares for a US IPO.
Oura’s numbers show how much demand there is for health tracking without a smartwatch. The company’s revenue grew 74% to $1.21 billion in the nine months ending June 30.
Apple still leads the smartwatch market by a wide margin. None of these screenless rivals try to match the Apple Watch on apps, payments, or cellular features, and they sell on battery life, comfort, and a lower price instead.
A Screenless Apple Band Isn’t Expected Before 2028
If Apple greenlights the tracker, it wouldn’t launch until 2028 at the earliest. Apple’s wearable AI smart glasses and AirPods with cameras are both expected to arrive before then.
The Apple Watch is also in line for a bigger change first. Bloomberg says a major redesign of the smartwatch lineup could come as early as late 2027. Apple last slimmed down its main watch with the Apple Watch Series 10 in 2024, while the Apple Watch Ultra has kept the same design since it debuted in 2022.
Until then, Apple has been folding Whoop and Oura-style features into its existing watches. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 added a daily readiness score and an estimate of biological age. A redesigned Health app with clearer guidance is also being tested in the iOS 27.2 beta.
Buyers who want Apple’s newest health features today still need a watch. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 sits at the top of the lineup, with the Apple Watch Series 12 below it.
Our Take
I think a screenless Apple band makes more sense now than it would have two years ago. The Apple Watch Series 12 already calculates a readiness score, so the software side is largely in place. What Apple doesn’t have is a wearable for people who don’t want notifications on their wrist, or who want a lighter second tracker for sleep and workouts.
Price will decide whether this works as Apple would be arriving at least two years after Google and Garmin, in a market where the entry point is a $99.99 Fitbit Air.
