Apple prototypes screenless fitness band to rival Whoop and Oura
Bloomberg reports Apple is building early prototypes of a screenless wearable with a thin fabric band and sensor-equipped module, aimed at competing with Whoop and Oura Ring. The project remains in an early technology-investigation stage and isn't expected to launch before 2028, if it ships at all. Executives including Eddy Cue and Tim Cook reportedly back the effort, with Cue pushing Apple's health team to borrow ideas from simpler, fitness-focused competitors since taking over health leadership last October.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Whoop and Oura have carved out a niche among users who want dedicated health tracking without a full smartwatch, and Oura's rapid sales growth ahead of its IPO shows real demand for that simplicity. Apple entering this category signals it sees the standalone wearable market as worth pursuing beyond the Apple Watch, even as it separately plans a major Watch redesign for late 2027.
- Apple is prototyping a screenless fabric-band fitness tracker to challenge Whoop and Oura.
- The device is years away, with a possible 2028 release date and no final go-ahead yet.
- Apple is separately planning a major Apple Watch redesign for as early as late 2027.
Whoop 4.0 Fitness Tracker — Since Apple's screenless tracker is still years away, the Whoop 4.0 is the real deal you can get now—a screenless, band-based device focused purely on recovery, sleep, and strain tracking. It's the exact product Apple is reportedly trying to compete with, so it's a great way to see what all the fuss is about firsthand.
See Whoop 4.0 Fitness Tracker on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: 9to5mac.com — Chance Miller, 2026-09-22
Published there as: “Apple working on Whoop-style screenless fitness tracker, per report”
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