Apple Prototypes Screenless Fitness Band to Rival Whoop

Apple is developing prototypes of a screenless health and fitness tracker designed to compete with Whoop, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device would feature a thin fabric band with a sensor-equipped computing module and no display, allowing users to track health metrics without another screen or notifications on their wrist. The project remains in what Apple calls a technology investigation phase, meaning the company has not decided whether to release the product. Apple has spent months researching the idea and is now building prototype hardware, Gurman reported. Chief Executive Tim Cook and Eddy Cue, who leads Apple's health teams, are reportedly backing the effort. Cue has pushed Apple's health team to adopt features from newer rivals whose products offer simpler interfaces focused squarely on fitness and health tracking, while the Apple Watch serves a broader range of purposes. The device is intended to complement the Apple Watch rather than replace it, giving people a way to track health and fitness around the clock. If Apple decides to move forward, a release would come no earlier than 2028.