Apple Explores Screen-Less Fitness Tracker to Rival Whoop, Bloomberg Report Says
Bloomberg reports Apple is developing a screen-less fitness band that would compete with Whoop, with prototypes built and a launch no earlier than 2028. Apple has not commented.
Bloomberg reported that Apple is engaged in a "technology investigation," an exploratory effort to decide whether it will fully develop the product and release it. Several prototypes of the device have been built, the report said. The tracker is described as a thin fabric band with a sensor-equipped computing module, and it would not reach the market until at least 2028.
Apple already sells a wearable that records workouts, heart rate, sleep and other categories in the form of the Apple Watch. The reported form factor is closer to Whoop's products, which the company describes as simple bands that can track a variety of health metrics.
TechCrunch said it reached out to Apple for more information. Apple has not publicly commented on the reported project.
The report comes as Apple moves through a period of transition. Tim Cook stepped down as chief executive in August and now serves as executive chairman, with John Ternus taking over as CEO. The company has also faced headwinds from rising costs tied to a memory shortage, and it has promised a slate of new devices, including a foldable phone, new tablets and a new MacBook Pro. Separately, Apple is engaged in litigation against OpenAI, which it has accused of trade theft, as competition over hardware for artificial intelligence continues.