Apple has made the Fitness+ app available to all iPhone users, joining their Health app in an effort to promote healthier lifestyles.
In a release on Thursday, Apple boasted that Fitness+ tracks fitness data from 27 new activities and 13 outdoor workouts. Users are also able to use its chat feature to connect with friends for support and encouragement.
“You’re never too young or too old for fitness,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Fitness+ is designed for everyone: athletes who want the best understanding of their progress, casual exercisers who want motivation and tracking without thinking about it too much — and people who haven’t been active in years but find themselves motivated by current events. And with all of that information, they’ll be able to make progress toward a healthier and happier lifestyle.”
Existing users of the app have been receiving push notifications about the expansion since it was first rolled out in October. In addition, Apple’s Health app has been designed to fit at least three users on an iPhone — one for tracking steps and miles walked and other data, one for monitoring resting heart rate and weight loss, another for keeping a record of workouts.
Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute in La Jolla, California, said he believes Apple’s health apps could be a major force in promoting healthy living.
“The technology is not trivial, but it’s getting there,” Topol said. “It’s interesting to see Apple moving in this direction. They have a streaming developer platform so they can continue to modify this and roll out new features. That kind of engagement really makes a difference.”
While Apple users will welcome the expanded features, others may be reluctant because of privacy concerns, he added.
“People are not really sure how much data they want to give up,” Topol said. “We’re going through right now how much information we want our devices to track. It won’t be without pushback from people.
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