Apple is reportedly building prototypes of a screenless health tracker along the lines of Whoop, marking a notable step forward for the project. The device would sit alongside the Apple Watch Series 12 rather than replace it, and it would enter a category that rivals have already opened up this year.
Apple’s Whoop rival moves past the drawing board
According to Bloomberg’s lead Apple reporter Mark Gurman, the company spent months researching the category and is now constructing prototypes, a clear advance on the design-stage concepts reported back in August. The prototypes are described as a thin fabric band with a small, sensor-packed computing module and no display at all.
Tim Cook and Eddy Cue are reportedly backing the effort, and Apple has drawn in engineers from its Vision hardware group, the team behind the Vision Pro. However, the project still sits in what Apple internally calls a technology investigation phase, so there is no guarantee it will ship. If it does, it would not arrive before 2028, and Apple declined to comment.
Fitbit Air and Garmin CIRQA already proved the screenless idea
Apple tends to let others establish a category before stepping in with its own take. Google launched the Fitbit Air, priced at around £75, on 7 May, while Garmin announced its CIRQA Smart Band on 21 July as a subscription-free option with up to 10 days of battery life.
The screenless design is the central appeal of these devices. Anyone currently wearing a Whoop, a Fitbit Air or a CIRQA would see no change, since Apple’s band would not land before 2028. Whoop has the most to watch here, as a screenless band is its entire business, and an Apple version would connect directly to the iPhone and Health app that millions of people already use.
What Apple’s 2028 band means for tracker shoppers now
The key point is that Apple has only built prototypes so far, and it has shelved wearable ideas before, including a smart ring that Gurman says never moved forward. Waiting more than two years for Apple is a considerable ask for anyone eyeing a screenless band.
iPhone users do not have to wait. The Fitbit Air already works with the iPhone, while Apple Watch owners who want Whoop-style recovery data can access it through Readiness, which builds a daily score from sleep and overnight vitals.
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Image: phonearena.com
