Apple is opening up its Fitness+ program to anyone with an iPhone, as the requirement of an Apple Watch goes away.
If you’ve been keen to try Apple’s approach to losing weight and the need for an Apple Watch put you off, good news: that requirement is going away.
Alongside the launch of a new iPhone or four, Apple noted that its Fitness+ program would be expanding to the iPhone without the need for an Apple Watch, meaning you can stick to any wearable you like — or none at all — and exercise with only your iPhone.
It’s an update set to be available later this year, though may not happen immediately, with the iPhone set to be the only requirement beyond paying for the service.
Fitness+ is Apple’s physical activity program delivering over 3000 studio workouts with beginner, intermediate, and expert skill level routines set atop music curated by the physical trainers running it, and previously required an Apple Watch in order to analyse how you were going, tracking steps, heart rate, and calories burned.
Without the Apple Watch, those on-screen metrics will likely disappear, but folks without a Watch will be able to keep on keepin’ on, exercising on an iPhone, or even an iPad or Apple TV.
Essentially, when Apple rolls out Fitness+ for iPhone in iOS 16 later this year, you’ll still need to pay for the service (or have it included under one of Apple’s plans, like its Premier monthly subscription for all its services), but you won’t need to don an Apple Watch to participate, which has been an absolute requirement up until this point.
“Since launching just under two years ago, we have heard incredible feedback from users on what a difference Fitness+ is making in their lives,” said Jay Blahnik, Vice President of Fitness Technologies at Apple.
“We are thrilled to bring the award-winning service to even more people by making Fitness+ available to all iPhone users even if they don’t have an Apple Watch,” he said.
“We can’t wait for more people around the world to stay motivated toward their fitness and wellness goals, and live a healthier day.”
The changes to Fitness+ will come after the maker of the iPhone launches other features, including new walking and running episodes which will see celebrities and athletes talk to you as you walk and run, while artist spotlights will be added from September 12 connecting an entire workout playlist to a single artist, with additions coming playing the music of The Rolling Stones, Mary J Blige, and The Weeknd.
