Apple develops screenless fitness tracker to compete with Whoop, Oura, Garmin

Oura: Oura produces smart rings designed for continuous health, sleep, and recovery monitoring. It is frequently cited alongside Whoop as a competitor Apple seeks to challenge through expanded wearable form factors and features. Recent updates have enhanced its integration with metabolic and longevity-related insights. Apple: Apple is a leading technology company that designs and manufactures consumer electronics, with a significant focus on its wearable lineup including the Apple Watch series. Recent reports indicate the company is exploring screenless fitness tracker designs as part of a broader rethink of its wearable products to better compete in the recovery and health tracking space. Eddy Cue, who oversees Apple's health and fitness software, has been noted for advocating faster innovation against specialized rivals. Whoop: Whoop develops screenless fitness bands centered on recovery, strain, and sleep tracking through app-based insights. It has emerged as a key benchmark in the category that Apple is reportedly targeting with potential new hardware. The company continues to emphasize subscription-based models for its core metrics. Garmin: Garmin manufactures GPS-enabled fitness and outdoor devices, recently expanding into screenless smart bands with the Cirqa model. This move positions it directly in the recovery-focused segment that Apple is evaluating for entry. The company maintains a strong emphasis on multi-sport tracking capabilities. Market Trend: Screenless fitness trackers gained notable traction in 2026 as multiple companies introduced display-free bands and rings focused on recovery metrics. Industry Shift: Wearable makers are increasingly diversifying beyond traditional smartwatches toward minimalist form factors for continuous health monitoring. Product Development: Apple has recently enhanced its Health app and Apple Watch with daily readiness scores and higher-frequency HRV tracking to align more closely with features popularized by specialized wearables.