Apple Inc. is developing prototypes of a screenless health and fitness tracker, potentially giving the technology giant a new wearable product designed to compete more directly with Whoop, Oura and other dedicated health-tracking devices.
Apple has been exploring the category for several months and has built prototypes featuring a thin fabric band and a sensor-equipped computing module, according to Bloomberg reporting cited by Yahoo Finance. The project has support from senior executives, but Apple has not yet decided whether to turn the prototype into a commercial product.
Apple Explores a Whoop-Style Fitness Band
Unlike the Apple Watch, the experimental device would have no display. Instead, it would continuously collect health and activity information and send that data to Apple’s software ecosystem for analysis.
The concept could allow Apple to target customers who want continuous heart rate, sleep, recovery and activity monitoring without wearing another screen. Screenless devices can also be lighter and consume less power, potentially making them easier to wear continuously and overnight.
Apple’s prototype reportedly involves members of the Vision hardware team responsible for the Vision Pro. Executive Chairman Tim Cook and Services chief Eddy Cue are among the senior executives interested in the concept, with Cue taking responsibility for Apple’s health initiatives last year.
However, the project remains at a preliminary stage internally described as a technology investigation. Apple has not committed to launching it, and even if development continues, the product is unlikely to arrive before 2028.
Whoop and Oura Put Pressure on Apple
Apple would be entering an increasingly competitive market rather than creating a new wearable category.
Whoop helped popularize screenless wrist-based fitness tracking, focusing on metrics such as recovery, sleep and physical strain rather than notifications and apps. Oura has taken a similar approach with its smart rings, while Google and Garmin have also expanded their presence in screenless health devices.
Both Whoop and Oura now have millions of users. Whoop has reached a valuation of roughly $10 billion, while Oura filed for an IPO this month, increasing the financial significance of the health-focused wearable market.
Apple has already begun incorporating some of the category’s concepts into its own products. Its latest Apple Watch and redesigned Health app include more sophisticated heart-rate monitoring and metrics designed to estimate daily readiness and biological age.
A dedicated screenless device could take that strategy further by separating continuous health monitoring from the broader smartwatch experience.
Apple Stock Rises as Garmin Falls
Investors also reacted to the initial report. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares were up about 1% at $342.29 during the September 22 session following Bloomberg’s report.
The more pronounced reaction came from a potential competitor. Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) shares fell as much as 2.5% to a session low after Apple’s plans were reported.
The movements suggest investors were at least assessing the competitive implications of Apple’s potential entry, although Apple’s gain cannot be attributed solely to the wearable report.
The stakes extend beyond hardware sales. Screenless fitness trackers increasingly serve as gateways to recurring health and wellness subscriptions, giving manufacturers opportunities to generate service revenue after selling or distributing the device.
Apple already operates Fitness+ and bundles multiple subscription products through Apple One, potentially giving it an existing services infrastructure around which a health-focused wearable could be built. Apple has not disclosed pricing or confirmed whether the experimental band would require a subscription.
A New Direction for Apple Wearables
The project comes as Apple considers broader changes to its wearable lineup. The company is reportedly examining several new form factors, including smart rings, while developing other wearable technologies such as smart glasses.
A screenless fitness band would represent a particularly notable shift. Since launching the Apple Watch, Apple has built its wearable strategy around an increasingly capable display that handles communications, apps and notifications alongside health tracking.
The experimental band would reverse that approach by removing the screen entirely and making continuous health data the central purpose of the device.
For now, however, investors should treat the project as an early-stage experiment rather than another confirmed Apple product launch. The company has working prototypes and executive interest, but no final decision to commercialize the device — and a potential release remains at least two years away.
