Apple could take on Whoop with a new fitness tracker, report says
Bloomberg reports Apple is exploring a screen-less fitness tracker — a thin fabric band with a sensor-equipped computing module — that could put it in closer competition with Whoop. The device is reportedly in a technology investigation phase with multiple prototypes and would not launch before 2028 if developed further.
Why It Matters
A simpler, band-style tracker would expand Apple's product footprint beyond the Apple Watch and place it nearer to specialized fitness wearable makers like Whoop, which has a multi-billion-dollar valuation. The potential product comes as Apple navigates executive transition, supply challenges, and a push to refresh its hardware lineup.
Key Facts
- Reporting outlet: Bloomberg
- Device form: Screen-less, thin fabric band with a sensor-equipped computing module
- Development stage: Technology investigation with multiple prototypes
- Earliest release date reported: Not before 2028
- Existing Apple product for fitness: Apple Watch (tracks workouts, heart rate, sleep)
Apple is reportedly researching a new screen-less fitness tracker that would differ from its existing Apple Watch lineup and resemble the band-style devices sold by companies such as Whoop. According to Bloomberg, the project is currently in a "technology investigation" stage — an exploratory phase in which Apple evaluates whether to proceed to full development — and several prototype designs have been created.
The proposed device is described as a thin fabric band that houses a sensor-equipped computing module, a form factor focused on minimalism and continuous wear. Bloomberg's reporting indicates that, if Apple decides to move forward, the product would not be released until at least 2028, suggesting an extended development and testing period.
Apple already offers fitness and health features through the Apple Watch, which monitors workouts, heart rate, sleep and other metrics. A simpler band-style tracker would place Apple in closer competition with firms that specialize in dedicated fitness bands, including Whoop, which has drawn attention for its focused health-monitoring products and has reached a multi-billion-dollar valuation.
The report arrives as Apple undergoes notable changes: Tim Cook transitioned from CEO to executive chairman in August, and John Ternus succeeded him as CEO, and the company has flagged challenges such as higher costs tied to a memory shortage. Apple has also committed to a series of new products across phones, tablets and laptops while pursuing legal action against OpenAI over alleged trade theft, all as it charts hardware strategy for an AI-driven market.
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