Apple is working on a screenless fitness wearable

Apple is currently experimenting with a screenless fitness wearable designed to compete with devices such as those from Whoop, Bloomberg reports.

This initiative is still in the early phase of “technological research” and includes prototypes with a sensor-driven module integrated into a thin fabric band. Unlike the Apple Watch, which emphasises apps and notifications via a display, the new device would focus primarily on health monitoring. If the project goes ahead, it is unlikely to reach the market before 2028.

The driving force behind this new product is the rapid growth of competitors such as Oura and Whoop, both of which have managed to attract millions of users by offering streamlined, health-focused interfaces.

 

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Internal shifts in leadership also coincide with that strategic change of course. Following the retirement of former COO Jeff Williams and the departure of key figures such as Jay Blahnik and Stan Ng, Apple is rethinking its roadmap for wearables.

The company has already started to integrate “readiness” statistics and advanced heart-rate analysis into the existing Health app and the Apple Watch, mirroring the specialised data offered by niche fitness trackers.

Alongside the screenless band, Apple is further expanding its portfolio of wearables. Hardware engineers from the Vision Pro team are contributing to the tracker and are also developing smart glasses and AirPods with a camera, which are expected to come to market in 2027.

Although a project for an AI-powered wearable pendant has been postponed, the company continues to integrate artificial intelligence into its hardware. For instance, Apple recently introduced a watch that can use AI to summarise the user’s daily activities.

Looking further ahead, Apple plans to carry out a radical overhaul of its smartwatch line by the end of 2027. This would mark a break from the small annual updates of recent years and deliver a completely new design for a product line that has remained largely visually consistent since the introduction of the Ultra model.

Business AM