Apple Fitness+ hits iPhone on Oct. 24 with Taylor Swift in tow

By

Apple Fitness+ hits iPhone on Oct. 24 with Taylor Swift in tow
Apple Fitness+ is coming to iPhone, along with a dedicated solo Artist Spotlight on Taylor Swift.
Image: Apple

Apple Fitness+ will finally become available to iPhone users starting next week. The subscription service, which offers an array of recorded workouts for a wide range of health levels, previously focused on Apple Watch, showcasing users’ performance metrics in real time.

The expansion to iOS handsets is not the only move in the works to make Apple Fitness+ more mainstream. Music by Taylor Swift is also coming to Fitness+, with workouts focused on the artist’s new album, Midnight.

Apple Fitness+ expands beyond Apple Watch

Apple Fitness+ launched in 2020 with 10 workout types: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Strength, Yoga, Dance, Core, Cycling, Treadmill (for running and walking), Rowing and Mindful Cooldown. The sessions, led by a growing team of fitness experts, range from five-minute quickies to much more demanding workouts for people who really want to test their limits. The service strives to appeal to beginners as well as fitness fanatics who demand some real physical intensity.

When Fitness+ arrived on the scene, an Apple Watch was required. But when iOS 16.1 launches on October 24, Fitness+ will become part of the iPhone Fitness app, and will be available in all 21 countries where the service is offered.

iPhone users will gain access to the entire service, featuring more than 3,000 studio-style workouts and meditations. You can watch them on an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or another TV via AirPlay.

“Whether users want to get outside and go for a walk with Time to Walk, improve their running with ultramarathoner Scott Jurek, or get moving to one of their favorite artists, like Taylor Swift, there really is something for everyone to stay motivated,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s VP of fitness technologies, in a press release Thursday.

Artist Spotlight on Taylor Swift

Also debuting October 24 is an Artist Spotlight series on Taylor Swift. And it’s clear someone at Apple is a Swifty.

Fitness+ will dedicate an entire workout playlist to her. Plus, every Monday for three weeks, new workouts featuring music by Swift will appear across workout types.

In a Treadmill workout, the first letter of each coaching tip by Fitness+ trainer Scott Carvin will combine to spell “SWIFTIE.” And in a HIIT workout, Fitness+ trainer Anja Garcia will coach users through 13-second intervals — because Swift loves that number.

Plus more Apple Fitness+ additions

In non-Swift news, Apple Fitness+ will add a new program called Yoga for Every Runner with Scott Jurek. The ultramarathoner and author helped design these sessions, Apple said.

“Inspired by Scott’s approach and integration of yoga, this program is designed to improve running posture, balance, and mobility,” Apple said. “Users can do each 10-minute Yoga flow as a warmup, a recovery stretch, or mixed with other workouts from the Fitness+ library.”

Apple Fitness+ also will add new Time to Walk sessions, starting with Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham on Oct. 24.

“On this walk, Waddingham shares how being championed by a legendary director at just the right moment in her career renewed her faith in her own abilities, and how playing Rebecca [on Ted Lasso] brought healing after her own difficulties in life,” Apple said.

Other guests in the upcoming Time to Walk season will include singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and former astronaut and colonel Eileen M. Collins.

Fitness+ also will add three new Collections consisting of “curated content from the Fitness+ library to help users go after their goals or find inspiration,” Apple said. They are:

• Totally ’80s Cycling, featuring eight spirited workouts that can boost cardio fitness. Every workout has the energy of a party and is set to a playlist full of songs from the 1980s.
• Best Mindful Cooldowns for Athletes, offering a series of total-body stretches and short visualizations that are curated to help athletes mentally prepare for their sport and recover more easily after any athletic endeavor.
• 14-Day HIIT and Strength Challenge, featuring 30-minute Strength and HIIT workouts that help motivate users to take their fitness routines to the next level.

New promos with insurance plans

In yet another bid to expand the reach of Fitness+, Apple said it will “offer new ways to sign up for the service at no additional cost through offers with SilverSneakers, Target, UnitedHealthcare, and Mobile Health.”

If your insurance won’t offer you free access, an Apple Fitness+ subscription costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Or you can get it in the Apple One Premier plan, which goes for $29.99 per month. In any case, a subscription can be shared with up to five family members.

Source: Apple

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.