Whoop 5.0 – Why a Strategic Pivot Threatens Apple and Garmin
In my guide, “Whoop 5.0 & Whoop MG – Everything You Need to Know“, several aspects of WHOOP’s latest product strongly indicate the company has made a strategic pivot. I’d argue it’s now heading in precisely the right direction—and that should worry Garmin and Apple.
Emerging Trends in Wearable Tech and Consumer Health & Fitness
I frequently encounter two notable new trends while writing and researching for the5krunner.com: a growing interest in healthspan among older demographics and increased participation in social fitness activities among women.
Technology trends also demonstrate that wearable companies struggle to integrate new, non-invasive sensors—blood pressure, continuous Afib, continuous ECG, blood glucose, sweat analysis, etc. The most commercially attractive are blood pressure and blood glucose, though ECG and ECG-derived events remain significant drivers in some demographics.
Why WHOOP Is Different
We’re all familiar with the big smartwatch players incorporating several technologies, Garmin, Apple, Samsung, and Google—but alongside that, many smaller brands focus on single-type technologies. Smart Rings and WHOOP are different. Whoop has carved out a significant niche targeting active and competitive individuals across various sports with a relatively straightforward product, an excellent app, and a profitable subscription model.
It’s a medium-sized fish in a big pond. It doesn’t need to reinvent itself to grow, but has the resources to take on new challenges. That’s what it has done with Whoop 5.
Business Strategy
New Segments, Reduced Churn, Tiered Pricing
WHOOP 5.0 signals a three-part strategy. The new MG sensor, paired with the LIFE membership, introduces a premium health tier for affluent, older users. The planned integration of blood lab test results (also on the Ultrahuman Ring’s radar) could further enhance premium health insights.
Secondly, WHOOP 5 brings little in the way of new features to its existing sports-focused base. However, the new tiered subscription model increases competitive flexibility and opens new opportunities. The lower-cost ONE membership tier appeals to price-conscious fitness users and may reduce churn while encouraging wider adoption.
WHOOP’s multi-tier strategy isn’t without risk. Strava discovered that anything more complex than a single, simple subscription can confuse users. Oura, Apple, and Garmin Connect+ are all normalising tiered subscription models in this space. So let’s see how it pans out. Whoop’s differentiator is that you don’t have to buy the hardware – there are just the subscription fees with no strings attached. Although some will consider the commitment too high, it’s an honest offering.
Consumer Appeal
Enhanced Hardware, Advanced Insights, Personalised Experience
WHOOP builds on the appeal of its minimalist band design. Many users prefer it over a watch, or it can be worn alongside one without looking odd. Its form factor also creates opportunities for integration into custom apparel, opening up additional revenue streams.
WHOOP 5.0 brings tangible hardware upgrades: a 60% faster processor, a 7% smaller and lighter body, and a much-requested 14-day battery life. Fewer charges and improved comfort make it easier to wear continuously, directly addressing key user complaints around convenience and battery life.
There’s also a notable shift in focus around sleep. WHOOP is moving away from competitors’ questionable sleep-stage claims and emphasising overall sleep performance.
It’s better to have a powerful app than a limited—but—convenient watch screen. Many users seem to agree.
Competitive Landscape
Not a Smartwatch. Advanced Sensor-Led Health & Performance Insights
The standout feature here is blood pressure tracking. WHOOP requires calibration and can’t provide accurate on-demand readings—but that’s where the tech is today. Expect Apple to follow suit soon. WHOOP offers meaningful blood pressure trends by analysing overnight pulse and heart rate data.
While WHOOP leads on blood pressure, its ECG implementation is playing catch-up. Like Garmin, it relies on on-demand readings—an approach that fails to detect intermittent cardiac events. That’s why Apple’s continuous AFib monitoring is more useful in practice.
WHOOP also claims to be the only company offering muscular strain and load insights, though Polar provides something similar. These metrics are vital for WHOOP’s core users, especially those who strength train in the gym.
Take Out
WHOOP 5.0 and WHOOP MG should significantly boost the company’s competitive edge over the next 2–3 years. Expect it to gain more recognition for its health offerings, not just its sports credentials.
It leads in some areas and matches the competition in others. A potential drawback is the likely 2–3 year wait before a next-gen WHOOP device, giving agile competitors room to catch up. Still, WHOOP maintains a strong lead with its competent app, which is arguably the core of its offering.
If Healthspan is of interest to one of the most affluent demographics, where are the cohesive sets of features from Garmin and Apple?
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Reader-Powered Content
I think whoop is just too expensive.
The hardware won’t cost much, but it will be “sold” at a high price.
It’s attractive for people who don’t wear watches, BUT for watch wearers it means having to wear something on both joints. Does everyone want that?
In addition, the functions: the recognition of activities/exercises in the gym should not work so well.
So you probably have to rework a lot of things.
(Many Apple Watch users like the Hevy app on their watch)
The blood pressure function, I don’t think anyone who has to rely on it will be happy with estimates.
That leaves the use of real blood pressure monitors.
And for normally healthy people, 1-2 measurements a year are enough.
Whoop subscription:
Many people already have various subscriptions…
– their own gym
– via employer: use of various studio chains
– Maybe another app like:
Alpha Progression, Training Peaks etc.
I don’t see a place for an expensive subscription like Whoop for just on the side.
It’s also not good enough to replace everything.
And to push the subscription prices higher and higher.
Putting ECG in the top tier while you have so many AW etc out there with ECG and Afib…
Okaayyyy
I would always prefer a Garmin, Polar, Apple Watch than Whoop.
(Even if you add the subscription to Garmin& Polar)
I have to say, I personally find the Whoop package totally unattractive.
i think you can get straps such that you wear whoop on the underside of the watch.
Bevel is a good AW app too.
i want to agree on the BP comments but i’m going to give the product a go and see what benefits it might have.
subscriptions: sure people have lots of subscriptions, they have to choose the right one for them. whoop will be better for many more than TP (whoop has a wide sports use base)
Whoop is in the R&D phase and has been for the past 5 years. They have not found product market fit and may never. They have to charge these prices to keep the business model working while they find product market fit. Until then you are funding their r&d. Don’t be fooled by the marketing.