{"id":589491,"date":"2026-08-11T02:30:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T02:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/589491\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T02:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T02:30:15","slug":"report-apple-is-considering-a-screen-free-apple-watch-to-rival-whoop-and-fitbit-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/589491\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: Apple is considering a screen-free Apple Watch to rival Whoop and Fitbit Air"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Apple Watch has looked pretty much the same for the last 11+ years \u2014 a rectangular wearable with a large screen and some buttons on the side \u2014 but that could soon change.<\/p>\n

According to a report from Business Insider\u2019s Mark Gurman<\/a>, a prolific Apple insider, Cupertino is actively exploring a potentially revolutionary redesign of the Apple Watch, and future models could look nothing like today’s.<\/p>\n

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From a circular case design to ditching the screen altogether, here\u2019s everything you need to know about the latest Apple Watch redesign mutterings.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromTom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Screen-free is the way to be?<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

2026 is truly the year of the screen-free fitness tracker. Both Garmin and Google just launched subscription-free competitors to the Whoop 5.0<\/a> in the form of the Garmin Cirqa<\/a> and Fitbit Air<\/a>. Might Apple do the same?<\/p>\n

According to Gurman, it\u2019s doubtful we\u2019ll see a screenless Apple Watch in 2026. However, Apple R&D is apparently actively considering the concept. Of course, this isn\u2019t the first time talk of a screen-free Apple fitness tracker has surfaced.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Over the past decade, Apple has filed numerous patents hinting at the possible development of an Apple smart ring<\/a>. However, there\u2019s little evidence suggesting such a product is a current priority.<\/p>\n

This is to say, I wouldn\u2019t count on an Apple-built Oura Ring<\/a> competitor anytime soon. But an Apple-built Whoop alternative? That might actually be on the horizon.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

A screen-free Apple Watch could solve my biggest gripe<\/p>\n

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\"apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

The number one thing holding back full-featured smartwatches, especially Apple Watches, in 2026 is battery life, or rather, lack thereof. Even the best Apple Watch<\/a> models don\u2019t last more than a few days per charge.<\/p>\n

The latest Apple Watch Ultra 3<\/a>, for instance, gets just 42 hours per charge in the standard operating mode, but what if Apple nixed the display, a notorious power hog?<\/p>\n

The results could be an Apple wearable that cruises for closer to a week; the Fitbit Air lasts seven days, the Garmin Cirqa is good for ten days, and the Whoop 5.0 keeps on chooglin for up to two weeks.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Other radical Apple Watch redesigns are also on the table<\/p>\n

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\"Close-up\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Apple Watch with a circular design. He also suggests that Cupertino is considering expanding the Apple Watch line to potentially include premium models above the Ultra series and\/or more affordable ones below the SE range.<\/p>\n

In the more immediate term, Gurman suggests that 2026 may see a return of the ceramic Apple Watch case design as an optional upgrade for the latest models likely arriving this fall. The list may include the Apple Watch Series 12<\/a> and the Apple Watch Ultra 4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, while it\u2019s exciting to know that Apple is taking an open-minded approach to the future look and feel of the Apple Watch, Gurman notes that the design team has yet to settle on any one direction.<\/p>\n

Of course, as with all insider Apple reports and rumors, digest the above info with a grain of salt or two.<\/p>\n

Would you consider a screen-free Apple Watch? Let me know in the poll below.<\/p>\n

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More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Apple Watch has looked pretty much the same for the last 11+ years \u2014 a rectangular wearable…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":589492,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[203,61,60,80],"class_list":["post-589491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gadgets","tag-gadgets","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=589491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/589492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=589491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=589491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=589491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}