Apple is testing prototypes of a screen-free activity tracker that could compete with devices such as Whoop’s fitness bands, according to Bloomberg. The wearable is still under exploration, and Apple has not decided whether to release it.

The reported device would focus on collecting health and fitness data rather than displaying information on the wrist. If Apple proceeds, the tracker may not arrive until at least 2028, leaving considerable time for the design and product strategy to change.

How Apple’s screen-free tracker may work

Apple’s prototypes reportedly use a fabric band connected to a computing module that sits against the wrist. Built-in sensors would monitor heart rate and other health metrics, broadly mirroring capabilities available on the Apple Watch.

Unlike the Apple Watch, the proposed device would not include a screen. Users would therefore rely on another device, such as an iPhone, to review data and receive more detailed guidance. That approach would place the emphasis on passive, continuous tracking instead of interacting with a display throughout the day.

Whoop’s existing bands follow a similar model. The company’s wrist-worn trackers provide continuous monitoring without a display, making them a direct reference point for Apple’s reported experiments.

Apple’s broader health and wearables strategy

Apple has reportedly been exploring the screen-free category for several months. Apple chair Tim Cook and services chief Eddy Cue are said to be interested in the product, with Cue now overseeing Apple’s health teams.

Cue is reportedly advocating for wearables with simpler interfaces, including products such as screen-free fitness bands and smart rings. That direction could give Apple a way to expand its health hardware beyond the feature-rich Apple Watch, while offering users a less distracting form of tracking.

The company’s current products are already moving toward health summaries that go beyond individual measurements. Recent Apple Watch models include features comparable to those offered by Whoop and Oura, including an overall readiness score and an estimate of biological age.

Health app changes could support the device

Apple is also testing a redesigned Health app in iOS 27.2. The updated app reportedly has a more approachable interface and offers clearer guidance than earlier versions.

A screen-free tracker would make the Health app more important because it would serve as the primary destination for reviewing the band’s measurements and recommendations. However, the reported prototypes do not guarantee that Apple will bring the product to market.

Apple is expected to introduce wearable AI smart glasses and camera-equipped AirPods before the potential fitness band. Those products, along with the company’s existing health features, could shape how Apple positions any future display-free wearable.