Apple has announced several new additions and updates to its popular Fitness Plus subscription workout service, including new Sound Meditations, expanded Artist Spotlight series, and new Time to Walk episodes accessible for free. The updates aim to help users stay active and mindful as they work towards their 2023 health and wellness goals.
Sound Meditations Bring Calming Audio Experiences
One of the most notable new offerings is Sound Meditations, a series of sessions focused on calming the mind through music and ambient sounds. The meditations are lead by Fitness Plus trainers like Jessica Skye and JoAnna Hardy, who guide users through relaxing visualizations and breathing techniques while soothing background audio plays.
There are currently two collections available – Balance, featuring soft piano and guitar music, and Brighten, with upbeat and optimistic sounds. Each collection contains three 5-minute and three 10-minute sessions.
| Sound Meditation Theme | Trainer | Time Options |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | Jessica Skye | 5 minutes, 10 minutes |
| Brighten | JoAnna Hardy | 5 minutes, 10 minutes |
Apple designed these sessions specifically for Apple Watch and AirPods to deliver an immersive experience by dynamically adjusting sounds in response to the user’s heart rate.
Fitness Plus subscribers seem excited about the new offerings, with early feedback highlighting the meditations’ high production value and potential mental health benefits.
Spotlight Expands With New Artist Content
Fitness Plus is also expanding its Artist Spotlight series, which offers workouts and meditations set to music from a single artist, with new content focused on Rihanna and The Beatles.
The Rihanna Artist Spotlight includes strength, HIIT, yoga, dance, and treadmill workouts featuring the pop icon’s biggest hits. Fitness trainers like Anja Garcia, Jamie-Ray Hartshorne, and Molly Fox will lead these sessions across multiple workout types:
| Workout Type | Trainer | Songs Featured |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Anja Garcia | “Only Girl”, “Rude Boy”, more |
| HIIT | Jamie-Ray Hartshorne | “We Found Love”, “Work”, more |
| Yoga | Molly Fox | “Love on the Brain”, “Diamonds”, more |
Meanwhile, The Beatles Spotlight includes cycling, rowing, HIIT and yoga workouts set to the band’s most motivational and uplifting hits, led by trainers like Sherica, Kim, and Jonelle.
This expands Fitness Plus’ music offerings beyond previous Artist Spotlights like Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, and Queen. Subscribers seem eager for more artist-centric workouts catered to their musical tastes.
New Time To Walk Episodes Now Free For All
In another notable change, Apple is expanding access to new episodes of its popular audio walking experience Time To Walk. Previously exclusive to Fitness Plus subscribers, new 20-minute episodes will now be available globally in the Workout app for Apple Watch without a subscription.
Upcoming episodes feature influential guests like award-winning actor Chris Evans, pioneering researcher Jane Goodall, rapper Bebe Rexha, and more reflecting on meaningful topics as users go on real or virtual walks.
Making this content free marks a shift in Apple’s Fitness Plus strategy towards driving broader engagement rather than just subscriptions. It may help attract new customers to the service while improving health outcomes.
Additional Updates Further Expand Offerings
Alongside these major updates, Fitness Plus is bringing several other changes:
- New golf-specific training programs, including workouts focused on strength, flexibility, and balance tailored for golfers’ needs across skill levels.
- Super Bowl-themed workout playlists spotlighting halftime performers from past shows.
- New Time To Run episodes exploring iconic running routes in Orlando, Osaka, and Mexico City.
- Expanded language support for subtitles (now in Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish).
These offerings continue Apple’s push into niche fitness interests while localizing content across regions and languages.
Outlook: More Personalized Recommendations Coming?
While the latest updates check major boxes for Fitness Plus users, Apple is likely already working on additional features.
One analyst suggests Apple is developing personalized workout recommendations based on preferences and training history:
“I believe they are working on personalization – using all the data they have on you to serve up workout recommendations tailored to your needs and goals.”
If accurate, personalized recommendations could help users better navigate Fitness Plus’ vast catalog of workouts and stick to customized training plans.
Other rumored areas of focus include further international expansions, more third-party equipment integrations, and features motivating real-world activity like walking challenges.
As Apple continues marching towards its goal of motivating and improving health and wellness worldwide, it sees Fitness Plus as critical to that vision. Users should expect more major updates and innovations as 2023 progresses.
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