As of this month, users of Apple’s fee-based sports service Fitness+ can take part in a range of new types of sports and let themselves be relieved of stress with guided mediation sessions. The offer has been expanded at no extra charge and can be accessed via apps on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. If you want to track your vital data, you also need an Apple Watch – but this has not been mandatory for Fitness+ customers since the end of October 2022.
Kickboxing without accessories
The new sports include kickboxing, which Apple has created as a full-body cardio program. Each workout therefore consists of a specific sequence of movements, “up to a final round in which the movements just learned are combined in a one-minute interval”. No equipment is required for this, the training sessions last 10, 20 or 30 minutes, according to Apple. There is also a new trainer hired specifically for the sport.
Also new is a sleep meditation. According to Apple, this supplements the nine existing topics such as gratitude, calm, resilience or creativity. New sleep meditations will be added each week to help users fall asleep better. The programs are also available on the Apple Watch, so you don’t need a screen. The content can be found in the Mindfulness app on the computer clock.
More music for Fitness+
Apple has also signed new contracts with musicians who deliver so-called Spotlight series. Whole training playlists are dedicated to their songs. In addition to Beyoncé, these are the Foo Fighters in January and Bad Bunny from next week. There are also innovations in the “Time for walking” area – these are podcast programs developed for Fitness+ that users can listen to while walking. New here are shows with actress Jamie Lee Curtis, presenter Amber Ruffin and actor Jason Segal.
However, Fitness+ is not a bargain: Users pay either 10 euros a month or 80 euros a year – and thus more than for the television service TV+ and just as much as for Apple’s extensive music offering Music. However, Fitness+ is also available as part of Apple One, a discounted subscription package with various services from the group. However, Apple One Premium, the only combination that includes Fitness+, costs a whopping 32 euros a month. The offer can be shared with up to five other people in the family.
(bsc)
