Fitness instructors that will lead workouts on Apple’s soon-to-be-launched Fitness+ service have begun promoting the service on Instagram, ahead of the service’s expected launch later this month. The move suggests that the launch of the new service is imminent.
Instructors have begun posting to their personal Instagram accounts, showing what they will look like while recording workouts for subscribers. The service is expected to launch before the end of 2020 and will offer guided workouts led by a large roster of instructors.
Posts to Instagram accounts belonging to Apple’s fitness coaches (first spotted by 9to5Mac), show them in what appears to be in the middle of recording workout sessions, which will be streamed to users.
The posts, which also include references to the @AppleFitnessPlus Instagram account, as well as the #CloseYourRings hashtag, which is usually used in reference to the Apple Watch’s fitness features.
While many of the posts are of instructors expressing their excitement of their followers finally trying out the service, others offer an introduction of the instructor to a potentially new audience.
The Apple Fitness+ service, which debuted during Apple’s “Time Flies” event back in September, intelligently incorporates metrics from Apple Watch for users to visualize right on their iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, offering a first-of-its-kind personalized workout experience. It appears the service may launch alongside the release of iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2.
Fitness+ uses a custom recommendation engine, considers previously completed workouts, and intelligently suggests new options that match the workouts users select most often. It can also suggest fresh workouts to balance a user’s regular routine. Customers can also use an intuitive filtering tool to choose what is most important to them when looking for a workout, whether it’s the workout type, the trainer, the duration, or the music. Apple Music subscribers can save their favorite music from Fitness+ workouts for later listening.
When a workout is selected and started on iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, the correct workout type will automatically start on Apple Watch. During the session, the metrics from Apple Watch are shown on the screen and come to life for moments of inspiration.
Apple Fitness+ will launch with the most popular workout types including Cycling, Treadmill, Rowing, HIIT, Strength, Yoga, Dance, Core, and Mindful Cooldown, and each is accompanied by music thoughtfully curated by the trainers. Each week, the team of Fitness+ trainers will deliver fresh workouts from the studio across a range of lengths, disciplines, and music genres so there are always new workouts to explore.
An Absolute Beginner program built into Fitness+ will help coach the basics of movement and exercise, and give customers an option to prepare for Studio Workouts.
Customers can use any brand of equipment with Fitness+, and many workouts can be done with no equipment at all or just a set of dumbbells. Treadmill users with Apple GymKit-enabled machines will be prompted to tap to connect their Apple Watch so metrics are in sync.
At launch, Apple Fitness+ will be available in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Fitness+ will be available to Apple Watch customers as a subscription service before the end of 2020 for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Everyone can try Fitness+ free for one month.
Customers will be able to share their Fitness+ subscription with up to five other people in their family with Family Sharing (Apple Watch Series 3 or later required).
Three months of Apple Fitness+ are included for customers who purchase Apple Watch Series 3 or later, starting September 15, 2020. This extended trial is available for a limited time.
Apple Fitness+ is included in the Apple One Premier plan, which, where available, also gives customers access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and 2TB of iCloud storage for $29.95 per month, and can be shared among up to six family members.
Customers purchasing Apple Watch Series 3 or later from Best Buy will get six months of Fitness+ for free. Additionally, My Best Buy members who already own an Apple Watch Series 3 or later will get two months of Fitness+ free. For more information, visit corporate.bestbuy.com.
CVS Health will offer special access to Fitness+ for select Aetna commercial and Caremark members, CVS Pharmacy ExtraCare retail customers, and CVS Health employees, to empower people on their paths to better health. For more information, visit www.cvshealth.com.
Fitness+ requires Apple Watch Series 3 or later paired with iPhone 6s or later or iPhone SE.
For usage with iPad, Fitness+ requires iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad mini 4 or later, iPad Air 2, or iPad Air (3rd generation). Fitness+ is supported on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.