Apple’s new Fitness + Workout service launches later today, and some media and YouTube channels have shared their first post on the platform. We collected some comments and videos below.
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CNET’s Vanessa Hand Orellana Tries Apple Fitness +
As an update, Fitness + will provide users with access to a library of workout videos that include strength, yoga, dance, running, walking, cycling, boating, and more each week from Apple’s team of coaches with new content. Encourages users to integrate personal measurements such as fitness + heart rate from the Apple Watch, animating them on the screen during key moments of the workout.
99 9.99 per month or per year. Priced at 79.99, Fitness + requires iOS 14.3, iPados 14.3, WatchOS 7.2 and TVOS 14.3. The service will be available through a new tab in the Fitness app on the iPhone, and iPad users will be able to access the Fitness app from the App Store. On Apple TV, the Fitness app automatically appears when users install TVOS 14.3. The service requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or later.
CNETVanessa Hand Orellana notes that the Apple Watch integration helps set fitness + from competitors, as well as providing users with quality and startup types of exercises such as its “start-friendly” approach:
Under normal circumstances, I would have been too intimidated to even go near a rover in the gym. But Fitness Plus makes it easy to teach how to use the devices with a “start” video with short, easy exercises with the entire starting area from your comfort zone.
Hand Orellana believes Fitness + is a “no brainer” for Apple Watch users, however, he said it’s not the best option for the most experienced fitness seekers looking for personalized ideas on the form, as the service seems to be targeting a wider audience:
If you already have an Apple Watch, or are considering getting one because you get a three month free trial, Fitness Plus is a brainchild. It is also included as part of the $ 30 Premier Apple One subscription bundle per month. But since there are so many fitness apps, this is not a good enough reason to buy an Apple Watch.
This is not the best way if you are a proponent of any workout genre, or you are really looking to hone your skills because it seems to fit a wider audience and cannot provide customized feedback on the form.
The Wall Street JournalNicole Nuyen believes fitness + is an “excellent value”, but she finds that it’s not much in Peloton’s workout service. One of the benefits of Fitness + is that you can download and play workout videos offline:
Overall, Fitness + feels like a Ploton Digital Light (which it would not otherwise be). Apple’s use and Ploton Digital have high production value, which encourages music playlists and captivating practitioners. But there aren’t many workout types in Fitness +, and the library of fitness isn’t huge. It also lacks the direct and social aspects of Peloton. Apple has an edge on the app: you can download classes and play them offline. Exercises require an active internet connection when you preload preloaded content for more consistent playback.
Fast companyMark Sullivan believes that most fitness + exercises can be viewed better on TV than on the iPod or iPhone:
For most workout types, fitness + is best when shown in front of you on a large TV. The iPad also works well for some exercises like yoga or strength training, but the iPhone is much smaller.
Apple Fitness + is available today in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Apple is offering a one-month free trial for all users and a three-month extension for customers who purchase the new Apple Watch Series 3 or newer after September 15, 2020.