• News

A screenless fitness tracker might make a good Apple Watch alternative.
Photo: New Vision Production/Pexels

Anyone who wears an Apple Watch just to track their workouts should be thrilled to hear that Apple is reportedly working on prototypes for a screenless fitness tracker.

It will apparently be a way for Apple to enter the growing market for wearable devices designed to monitor your health around the clock without the extra hassle of a smartwatch display on your wrist.

Apple prototype health tracker forgoes the screen

Apple isn’t starting from scratch when it comes to health-tracking devices. The Apple Watch already tracks a wide range of health and fitness measurements, while the iPhone’s Health app provides a central place for that information.

But the company is now exploring making a fitness tracker reminiscent of an Apple Watch but without the screen, according to an unconfirmed report published Tuesday by Bloomberg.

The device reportedly consists of a thin fabric band with a small computing module containing sensors. The tracker would collect health and fitness data in the background, with users presumably viewing the information through Apple’s Health and Fitness apps on an iPhone or other device.

As Bloomberg points out, the concept closely resembles Whoop’s screenless approach, but is quite different from Fitbit products (aside from the new Fitbit Air).

• See also: Pixel Watch 5 adds a feature Apple Watch desperately needs

Several potential advantages

The simpler design would result in a wearable that is smaller and less distracting than an Apple Watch. The lack of a display would mean there’s no need to interact with it during a workout or keep checking notifications on your wrist.

Another advantage is battery life. Without a screen, Whoop’s wristbands can run more than two weeks without needing a recharge. In contrast, Apple Watches need to be charged almost daily. 

Plus, a significantly simpler device might also cost less than an Apple Watch, which starts at $249.

Apple’s screenless health tracker could be years away

While Apple has been “exploring the category for several months and is now developing prototypes,” according to Bloomberg, don’t expect to see the rumored fitness band come out of Cupertino anytime soon. The report makes it clear that Apple hasn’t committed to releasing this device.

And even if the company does move forward, the product isn’t expected before 2028.

• See also: Are Apple Watch’s new readiness and Health Age metrics scientific? Yes, but …