Apple's Next Major Health Gadget Could Be Whoop-Like Screenless Fitness Band

After unveiling its first foldable phone, Apple's next major product could be a screenless fitness tracker similar to Whoop, the category's market leader. Whoop specialises in developing wrist-worn trackers with 24/7 biometric monitoring, but without a display. Shifting away from the traditional Apple Watch model, this new wearable device would completely eliminate apps, notifications, and screen interactions. Instead, its design and software would focus entirely on health and fitness tracking, offering users a distraction-free alternative.

The Cupertino-based company has already developed some working prototypes that contain a fabric wristband with a small computer module sitting on the wrist. It ditches the display and could rely on sensors to track health and fitness data, including heart rate and other metrics.

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple chair Tim Cook and service chief Eddy Cue have taken a keen interest in the health product category. The latter is believed to be pushing for wearables with simpler interfaces like the Whoop and Oura Ring.

While the product is in development, it remains uncertain whether Apple will officially launch the product. Even if it does, the product is not expected to debut before 2028. However, the company is already learning from rivals and incorporating features in its Apple Watch Health app.

The company has introduced more advanced heart-rate tracking and metrics that assess users' readiness for the day. The technology can also estimate a person's biological age, based on data.

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Apple In Transition

The development comes at a time when Apple is in a transitional phase. Cook stepped down from his position as CEO in August, with new CEO John Ternus taking the wheel at one of the most critical times of the year as Apple launched its next generation of smartphones.

The company has also faced headwinds due to rising costs from a memory shortage. Despite this, it has promised a slate of new devices, including a new foldable phone, new tablets, and a new MacBook Pro.