Apple is in the process of developing a new screen-less fitness tracker that will put it in competition with Whoop — the fitness tech company that was recently valued at $10 billion.
Bloomberg Reportedly The iPhone manufacturer is currently involved in a “technological investigation” – which, just as it sounds, is an exploratory effort to decide whether it will fully develop the product and release it. A number of prototypes have been developed around the item, notes the outlet.
The device — which is described as a “thin strip of fabric with a computing module with sensors” — won’t be released until at least 2028, Bloomberg said.
It is worth noting that Apple has been selling fitness trackers in the form of its Apple Watch (wearable recording exercise, heart rate, sleep, and other categories). However, the new model sounds quite similar to Whoop, which sells fitness bands that the company says can track a variety of health metrics.
TechCrunch contacted Apple for more information.
The report comes at a time when Apple is in a period of transition. Tim Cook stepped down as CEO in August to become executive chairman, as new CEO John Ternus took over. The company also faces difficulties due to increased costs from memory shortages. Despite this, it has promised new devices, including a foldable phone, a new tablet, and a new MacBook Pro. At the same time, it is involved in litigation against OpenAI, which it has accused of plagiarism, as the battle to create the best hardware for the AI age continues.
