Apple Fitness+ is set for a big update. Starting with iOS 16.1 on October 24, users in the 21 countries the service is available will be able to use it without an Apple Watch. Along with that, SilverSneakers, Target, UnitedHealthcare, and Mobile Health will be offering Fitness+ at no cost, and all-new content including an Artist Spotlight series featuring Taylor Swift is on the way.
Apple announced all the Fitness+ details in a Newsroom post this morning:
“Starting October 24, for the first time ever, Fitness+ will be available for iPhone users to subscribe to and enjoy in the 21 countries it is offered in, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch. iPhone users will have access to the entire service featuring over 3,000 studio-style workouts and meditations, all led by a diverse and inclusive team of trainers. Users will also see onscreen trainer guidance and interval timing, and estimated calories burned will be used to make progress on their Move ring.”
Apple notes that users with an Apple Watch “can continue to take their motivation to the next level with personalized real-time metrics that display on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.”
Free Fitness+
Apple also announced new options to get Fitness+ at no cost. First, with the purchase of an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, customers are eligible for a free three-month trial.
Additionally, “This year, Fitness+ will offer new ways to sign up for the service at no additional cost through offers with SilverSneakers, Target, UnitedHealthcare, and Mobile Health.”
Here are the details:
- SilverSneakers, the nation’s leading fitness program for older adults, will now offer members a Fitness+ subscription at no additional cost starting in January 2023 through select Medicare Advantage plans. Members will also have access to the Workouts for Older Adults program on Fitness+, which helps users stay active at any age with a focus on strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and mobility. They can activate their Fitness+ subscription through the SilverSneakers GO app on the App Store or through their SilverSneakers member account on silversneakers.com
- Target will now offer a four-month free trial of Fitness+ for members of Target Circle, the retailer’s free-to-join loyalty program. Members of Target Circle also have free access to three months of Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud+, Apple Arcade, and News+, with no purchase required.
- UnitedHealthcare continues to offer Fitness+ as an annual subscription at no additional cost to millions of members as part of their fully insured employer-sponsored health benefit. Employers with self-funded health plans can make a similar offer available to their employees.
- Mobile Health, a fast-growing digital health and well-being technology company, will offer its employer customers the opportunity to add Fitness+ as a wellness benefit for their employees and allow them to earn an Apple Watch by staying active.
New Apple Fitness+ content
Another part of today’s announcement is the fresh content coming to the fitness service.
Taylor Swift series
“Starting October 24, music by Taylor Swift will be available in the service for the first time ever, beginning with a dedicated solo Artist Spotlight series featuring newly released songs from her album “Midnights,” out October 21. The series dedicates an entire workout playlist to a single artist, and every Monday for three weeks, new workouts featuring music by Taylor Swift will appear across workout types including Core, Cycling, Dance, HIIT, Pilates, Rowing, Strength, Treadmill, and Yoga.
To celebrate the theme of “Midnights,” the first three workouts will feature special themed lighting, and the Fitness+ trainers will highlight the artist in fun and creative ways. In a Treadmill workout, the first letter of each coaching tip by Fitness+ trainer Scott Carvin will combine to spell “SWIFTIE.” In a HIIT workout, Fitness+ trainer Anja Garcia will coach users through 13-second intervals to lean into Swift’s affinity for the number 13.”
More new content
- Yoga for every runner
- Time to Walk with Hannah Waddingham
- Additionally, Fitness+ will introduce three new Collections, curated content from the Fitness+ library to help users go after their goals or find inspiration, including:
- 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.
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