Bloomberg reports Apple is building prototypes of a display-free wearable, described internally as a technology investigation, pairing a fabric strap with a sensor-and-computing unit focused on passive health monitoring. The project has backing from executives including Tim Cook and Eddy Cue, though Apple has not committed to shipping a product, and a launch could come as early as 2028.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-23
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple has spent months investigating a screenless wearable, testing prototypes with a fabric band and sensor module built by the team behind the Vision Pro headset. The company has not decided whether to actually launch the product, though executives Tim Cook and Eddy Cue are said to be interested. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-22
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is building early prototypes of a display-free health and fitness band, using a thin fabric strap paired with a sensor module. The project has been in development for several months, remains in early stages, and Apple has not decided whether to actually release it, with a possible launch no earlier than 2028.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-22
Apple is internally testing a wearable device positioned as a competitor to Whoop's fitness tracker, according to a report. The development comes as the company's existing Apple Watch is reportedly shifting toward incorporating more AI-driven features.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-22
Bloomberg reports Apple is running an early 'technology investigation' into a screen-less fitness band, described as a thin fabric strap with a sensor-equipped computing module. Multiple prototypes reportedly exist, but any product would not launch before 2028. Apple has not commented; TechCrunch says it reached out for details.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-22
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.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-22
Bloomberg reports Apple is prototyping a screenless fitness tracker with a fabric band and sensor-equipped module, similar to Whoop's wearables. The device is described as being in early development, with a possible release no earlier than 2028 if Apple proceeds. Whoop's existing products include a medical-grade EKG variant and batteries lasting over 14 days.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-22
Apple's Series 12 smartwatch now samples heart rate every 5 seconds, up from every 5 minutes on prior models, and adds a Readiness app that scores recovery from 1-10 using HRV data. Paired with a redesigned Apple Health app in iOS 27 that presents stats more clearly, these updates are prompting at least one longtime WHOOP user to consider returning to Apple's ecosystem.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-19
Apple unveiled a Health Age feature for the Apple Watch, joining Whoop, Oura, Garmin, Withings and other companies in offering a metric that claims to estimate a user's physiological age based on fitness and health data. The Verge's Victoria Song tested several of these tools on herself and found wildly inconsistent results, with different devices estimating her age anywhere from 26 to 42 despite her actual age being 38.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-16
In a Verge interview, Fantasy Footballers podcast cohost Andy Holloway discussed his approach to technology and focus ahead of the NFL season. He described himself as a 'zero-inbox' person who keeps only two browser tabs open, and credited his Whoop wearable and building the podcast with his co-hosts as accomplishments he values most.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-05
Whoop has removed the membership requirement for its Advanced Labs blood-testing screenings, letting non-subscribers access them for roughly $70 per test. However, the Whoop band itself remains functionally locked without an active subscription, requiring at least $149 a year for basic features like recovery insights, sleep tracking, and VO2 max data.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-01
WIRED's latest sleep tracker roundup highlights the Google Pixel Watch 4 as a budget-friendly option when discounted, the screenless Whoop MG for detailed sleep coaching, the Apple Watch Series 11 for those already in Apple's ecosystem, and Garmin's pricier Epix Pro for advanced biometric sleep data. Each device varies in accuracy and price, with testers noting some trackers overestimate actual sleep duration.
wired.com
· 2026-09-01