Apple Prototypes Screenless Fitness Tracker for 2028 Release

Apple Inc. is developing a prototype for a screenless health and fitness tracker designed to compete with wearables from Whoop and Oura. The device, currently in a preliminary technology investigation phase, consists of a sensor-equipped computing module attached to a thin fabric band. By omitting a display and traditional smartwatch features like apps and notifications, the company aims to reduce costs and improve battery life.

Executive Chairman Tim Cook and Senior Vice President of Services and Health Eddy Cue are personally invested in the project, which is receiving support from the hardware team that developed the Vision Pro. The device is not expected to launch before 2028. This initiative follows the integration of continuous heart rate tracking and readiness scores into the Apple Health app and Apple Watch Series 12.

While prioritizing the fitness tracker and the development of smart glasses and camera-equipped AirPods for a potential 2027 release, Apple has postponed its project to develop an AI pendant. The pendant was intended to use cameras and microphones to feed environmental data to Siri AI. The company is instead focusing on integrating AI features, such as Audio Intelligence, into its existing wearable ecosystem.