Apple is developing a fitness band without a display
Apple is developing a new type of wearable device—a screenless fitness tracker focused on continuous monitoring of health metrics and physical activity.
According to Bloomberg, the company has already created several prototypes, but a final decision on releasing the device has not yet been made.
What is known?
The prototypes are thin fabric bands with a small computing module equipped with sensors. The device will track heart rate and other health metrics like Apple Watch, but without a display, similar to Google Fitbit Air.
The absence of a screen will allow users to forgo notifications, apps, and other smartwatch features. This format is designed primarily for continuous wear and the collection of health and physical activity data.
Exactly how users will view the collected information and which features Apple plans to implement in iPhone apps remain unknown.
Whoop competitor
By form factor, the device most closely resembles Whoop fitness trackers. They also operate without a screen and are designed for continuous monitoring of health metrics, workouts, and recovery.
Apple considers such a gadget as a simpler and more specialized option compared to Apple Watch, which offer apps, notifications, and many other functions in addition to health monitoring.
The project is supported by Apple executives, including Eddy Cue and Tim Cook. Cue, who oversees the company’s health initiatives, advocates for developing simpler wearable devices focused on fitness and health monitoring.
Release dates
The project is currently in the early stage of technology research. Apple has not yet decided whether the fitness tracker will become a mass-market product, so its design and feature set may change significantly.
If the company decides to release the device, it will not appear before 2028.
