Polski
Apple is quietly working on a Whoop rival, and creatine works even without training
This week in the fitness and wellness industry brings together two seemingly unrelated stories: a quiet battle among tech giants for a spot on your customers' wrists, and yet another strong piece of scientific evidence that creatine is far more than just a supplement for bodybuilders. Both stories point to the same conclusion: today's competitive edge in fitness and wellness is built on data and hard evidence, not slogans — and customers are increasingly asking not "does it work," but "what research is it based on." Here's what Apple has in the pipeline, and what researchers in Texas just discovered.
01 · Wearables
Apple enters the screenless tracker market [1]
According to reports from MacRumors, Apple is working on an entirely new type of activity and health monitoring device — unlike the Apple Watch, it wouldn't have a screen at all. The project has backing at the highest level of the company, with Tim Cook and Eddy Cue, who oversees Apple's health initiatives, personally supervising it. The prototypes currently being tested are structurally similar to Whoop bands — a fabric strap with a built-in sensor module that tracks heart rate and other physiological parameters, with no display or buttons whatsoever.
For now, this is purely an internal testing phase. Apple hasn't yet decided whether to move the product into production, and even if the project gets the green light, launch wouldn't happen before 2028. Still, the mere fact that Apple — a company that has spent years betting on large, multifunctional screens — is eyeing a segment long dominated by Whoop and Oura is a clear sign that competition is heating up. The screenless wearables market, built around a subscription model and minimalist, "invisible" design, is no longer a niche and is now drawing the attention of Silicon Valley's biggest players — a shift that could reshuffle the balance of power in training technology in the coming years and force a response from the segment's current leaders.
02 · Supplementation
Creatine builds muscle even without training [2]
This week's second story debunks the popular myth that creatine is a supplement only for people who train regularly at the gym. A research team led by Dr. Richard Kreider of Texas A&M University gave people aged 45–65 a daily dose of 10 grams of creatine monohydrate for 12 weeks. The result? Participants gained an average of about 1.1 kg of lean tissue and improved their muscle strength — without any structured training program.
Even more interesting, when supplementation was combined with strength training and a caloric deficit, participants lost more fat tissue than a group following the same diet and exercise routine without creatine. This is the first study to document such a clear, additional fat-loss effect. Dr. Kreider also points out the practical side of the discovery: to get a comparable dose of creatine from food alone, you'd need to eat between 2 and 5 kilograms of meat or fish every day — which is simply unrealistic. For supplement makers and sports nutrition retailers, this is a powerful argument, both scientific and marketing-wise, especially given the growing segment of customers aged 45+ who are looking for support for strength and muscle mass without intense training, and who aren't necessarily ready to commit to a regular workout routine right away.
03
What this means for the industry
Both stories, seemingly unrelated, point to the same direction the fitness and wellness market is heading: a growing emphasis on data and hard evidence. On one hand, discreet sensors quietly gathering information about the body around the clock, with no screen to remind you you're being "monitored." On the other, clinical research confirming the effectiveness of proven, simple ingredients like creatine. Customers — from tech enthusiasts to the 45+ crowd focused on staying strong and mobile — now expect concrete substance, not just marketing promises. For equipment brands, fitness clubs, and supplement makers, this is a clear signal of where to build competitive advantage in the coming seasons — it's worth starting now to shape messaging around data and research rather than trends alone.
You can see for yourself how these trends — wearable technology and science-backed supplementation — translate into real offerings from equipment, gadget, and sports nutrition brands at the FIWE Fitness Trade Show. Stay tuned for the next editions of our roundup, and see you at the show!
Invitation
Apple's screenless trackers and supplements backed by hard research are just a preview of what you'll see at the FIWE Fitness Trade Show. Experience the latest equipment, health-monitoring technology, and sports nutrition products that have the whole industry talking — in person. Join us at the exhibitor booths and let's talk about where the fitness and wellness market is heading.
FIWE Fitness Trade Show 2026Footnotes
[1] MacRumors — https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/22/apple-screenless-fitness-band/[2] Texas A&M Today — https://today.tamu.edu/news/2026/09/18/study-finds-creatines-benefits-extend-beyond-the-gym/