Apple Develops Screenless Fitness Band and Prepares Smart Home Display Hub

Apple is reportedly developing prototypes for a screenless fitness and health tracking band, entering a market populated by devices like Whoop and Google's Fitbit Air. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company has not yet decided whether to bring the product to market, and a release is not expected before 2028 at the earliest.

The device under evaluation features a thin fabric strap equipped with a computing module and integrated sensors. The project is currently in the technology validation phase and is supported by key Apple executives, including Eddy Cue and Tim Cook. Cue assumed leadership of Apple's health team following the departure of Jeff Williams, pushing the group to adopt features from newer competitors focused strictly on health and fitness monitoring rather than fully-featured smartwatches.

Gurman also noted that Apple has worked on an AI pendant equipped with a camera, though that project has been postponed. The device was designed to be worn as a necklace, attached to clothing, or placed elsewhere on the body to gather visual data for processing by advanced AI features. Meanwhile, competitors like Oura continue to see massive growth, with Oura reporting significant revenue increases and millions of ring sales over the past year.

Apple remains the dominant player in the smartwatch market, offering significantly broader capabilities than dedicated health trackers like Oura or Whoop. Concurrently, Bloomberg reported that Apple is working on a major redesign for its smartwatch lineup, which could launch as early as late 2027. This redesign follows years of incremental updates, such as the thinner Apple Watch Series 10, while the larger Ultra model has maintained the same physical footprint for years.

Additionally, Gurman reported that Apple may unveil its long-awaited smart home display as early as October. The device is intended to serve as a central hub for controlling smart home accessories, communicating with household members, consuming media, and accessing Apple services. Apple is currently testing the hardware extensively in employee homes, with software code referencing two primary form factors: a desktop model designed for a counter or table stand, and a wall-mounted variant.

Both versions are expected to share a compact, square display. Apple has reportedly developed a dedicated operating system for the product, built around advanced AI capabilities and integrating visual elements from iOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The interface will feature a customizable home screen, widgets, and clock faces designed to keep information visible when the device is not actively in use. Users will be able to search for data across their Apple devices, locate shared media, find photos, and execute specific in-app actions using voice commands.

According to Gurman, Apple has delayed the smart home display multiple times due to readiness issues regarding its AI assistant. This hurdle was largely cleared following the release of recent software updates incorporating advanced AI features. The integrated camera is expected to support video calls and recognize different household members, automatically displaying personalized calendar appointments, notes, media preferences, and news without requiring complex depth-sensing components like Face ID.

Additional functions will include smart home automation control, intercom communication, media playback, and access to native productivity applications such as Calendar, Notes, and Reminders. An iPhone will be required for initial setup and specific connected capabilities. Apple intends for the iPhone to remain the center of mobile life, while the new smart display, Apple TV, and HomePod establish a parallel ecosystem for the home. The smart display may debut as one of the major product launches under Apple executive John Ternus.