18 Aug 2020
Apple hints at virtual fitness launch
BY Tom Walker
Apple is rumoured to be gearing up for the launch of a subscription-based virtual fitness offer.
Citing sources "familiar with the plans", financial news service Bloomberg said the tech giant is looking to join the virtual exercise revolution with a service delivered through an app for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
It's believed the new fitness element will be part of a range of products made available in bundles, allowing customers to subscribe at lower monthly rates.
The bundles, offered as part of a new “Apple One” service, could launch as early as October – coinciding with the introduction of the next iPhone.
The Apple Activity app – designed for the Apple Watch – will be renamed Apple Fitness when iOS 14, launches later this year.
The app keeps track of the user's movement throughout the day encouraging them to meet their fitness goals. It tracks how often they stand, the amount of movement and how many minutes of exercise the user does.
Rumours emerge just months after Apple ventured into the fitness space by launching the Apple Watch Connected programme, which is designed to reward gym members for wearing the device during exercise sessions.
The service is built around an "Earn with Watch" incentive programme, allowing users to receive rewards by being active.
While the virtual fitness sector has been dominated by a combination of specialised fitness companies and celebrity-driven offerings, larger tech firms are increasingly looking at the market.
In November 2019, Google revealed its plans to acquire Fitbit in a deal worth US$2.1bn (€1.88bn, £1.62bn), althoug this deal is currently being held up by regulators.
Some fitness content companies have expressed their concerns about Apple's move into fitness, saying it may have the potential to impact their app store distribution if Apple becomes a competitor.
This issue has surfaced since Apple took on gaming software company, Epic in a row over its popular game, Fortnite, which has been banned from the App Store.
Apple objected to Epic inserting payment functionality into the Fortnight app that circumvented its 30 per cent App Store fee – a service which earned the tech giant US$18.3 billion, or nearly 40 per cent of its total service revenues, in 2019.
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