Whoop Inc., known for its screen-less fitness trackers, introduced updated hardware Thursday, including the Whoop 5.0 and a medical-grade model. The new devices feature more compact designs and improved battery life, with the highest-end model adding blood pressure tracking.
The devices, Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG (short for medical grade), seek a wider audience and compete as smartwatch alternatives. Both offer improvements to sleep tracking, provide women's health features, measure Vo2 max and estimate physiological age. The medical-focused model includes heart health monitoring.
The new hardware supports 14 days of battery life, a notable increase from the four-to-five-day range of the Whoop 4.0. The new device is 7% smaller than its predecessor and features a processor that is 60% faster. This marks the first major hardware update since 2021.
Users can access features through three annual membership tiers. Whoop One costs $199 and includes the Whoop 5.0, providing measurement of sleep, strain, recovery, workout impact and menstrual/pregnancy tracking. Whoop Peak, priced at $239, also includes the Whoop 5.0 and adds a Health Monitor for vitals like respiratory rate, heart rate, blood oxygen and skin temperature, plus a real-time stress monitor.
The most comprehensive tier is Whoop Life, which costs $359 and includes the Whoop MG for access to additional medical-grade features. This model allows members to record an electrocardiogram (ECG) to potentially detect irregular heart rhythms such as AFib, high heart rate, or low heart rate. Readings can be shared as a PDF with a doctor.
The ECG feature has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended for users under 22 or those with a cardiac pacemaker or other implanted devices. Availability is currently limited to the U.S., the UAE, and Qatar.
Whoop Life members can also receive daily insights regarding their blood pressure, offering estimated systolic and diastolic ranges. This feature requires a traditional cuff reading as a baseline and is not intended for treatment, diagnosis, or medical use. Whoop stated Blood Pressure Insights is in beta and has been in development for several years.
A feature called Healthspan, developed with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, uses nine metrics to calculate a user's Whoop Age and Pace of Aging. It compares physiological age to actual age and assesses how quickly someone is aging based on behavior. This feature updates weekly and provides tips for improvement. This feature is for wellness purposes and not for medical use or users under 18.
Members can learn how the technology functions, noting it operates 24/7 to provide data-driven insights and guidance.
"We've taken everything we've learned over the past decade and built a platform to help our members perform and live at their peak for longer," Whoop founder and CEO Will Ahmed said in a release.