Apple Dives into Fitness Tracker Market with Screenless Prototype

Apple's interest in the rapidly growing fitness tracker segment has been spotted by Bloomberg, and this could have significant implications for AAPL stock. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global fitness tracker market is projected to grow from $72.08 billion in 2025 to $486.6 billion in 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 24%. This growth can be attributed to several demand drivers, including the prevalence of chronic diseases and the increasing use of health and fitness tracking devices.

Apple already dominates the market as the leader, thanks to its broad product lineup, with smartwatches projected to hold 41.7% of the market in 2026. However, Apple is now exploring a new direction by developing a screenless health and fitness tracker similar to the band sold by Whoop.

The prototypes use a thin fabric band holding a small computing module packed with sensors, and a display-free device would mean customers will not receive any app-related notifications. This sets it apart from the Apple Watch, which provides various features such as app notifications, music control, and more. The company hasn't decided whether to release the device, but a launch is unlikely before 2028.

Apple's services chief Eddy Cue has shown interest in this project, along with Executive Chairman Tim Cook. Members of the team that built the Vision Pro headset have also joined the early engineering work. This could be seen as Apple's attempt to adopt ideas from its rivals, such as Whoop and Oura, which have millions of users.