Chips & Hardware
Apple reportedly developing a screen-less fitness tracker to rival Whoop
Apple is reportedly exploring a screen-less fitness band, according to Bloomberg, that would put it in direct competition with Whoop, whose valuation recently topped $10 billion.
Bloomberg reports that Apple is currently engaged in a “technology investigation” — an exploratory effort to decide whether to fully develop and release a product — and that a number of prototypes have already been built. The device, described as “a thin fabric band with a sensor-equipped computing module,” would not be released until at least 2028, according to Bloomberg. Apple already sells a fitness tracker in the form of the Apple Watch, which records workouts, heart rate, sleep, and other metrics, but the new form factor described sounds closer to Whoop, which sells simple fitness bands the company says can track a range of health metrics. TechCrunch reached out to Apple for more information.
The report arrives as Apple is in a period of transition. Tim Cook stepped down as CEO in August to become executive chairman, with new CEO John Ternus taking over. The company has also faced headwinds from rising costs tied to a memory shortage. Despite that, it has promised a slate of new devices, including a new foldable phone, new tablets, and a new MacBook Pro, while also engaged in litigation against OpenAI, which it has accused of trade-secret theft, as the competition to build the best hardware for the AI age continues.
Why it matters
A screen-less fitness band would put Apple in more direct competition with dedicated wearables makers just as it faces cost pressure and a leadership transition.