Apple is rolling out new Fitness+ training programs, music-driven workouts, and Time to Walk episodes in January, alongside new research indicating that Apple Watch owners tend to maintain higher exercise levels well past the start of the year.
Study links Apple Watch usage to sustained exercise
Apple analyzed data from around 100,000 participants in the Apple Heart and Movement Study over four years and found that users with Apple Watch generally kept up increased exercise levels into spring, even after the traditional drop-off in New Year’s resolutions.
The analysis showed that after a dip in activity during November and December, average daily exercise minutes climbed in January and continued rising into later months. In the first two weeks of January, more than 60 percent of Apple Watch users in the study boosted their daily exercise minutes by over 10 percent compared to their December average.
Nearly 80 percent of those who increased their activity maintained the higher levels through the second half of January, including “Quitter’s Day,” commonly recognized as the second Friday of the month when many people abandon resolutions. Of that group, 90 percent kept elevated exercise levels through February and March.
The Apple Heart and Movement Study, conducted with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the American Heart Association, includes over 250,000 participants across the U.S. who consented to share data via the Apple Research app.
New year challenges and rewards
Apple is tying the findings to new activity challenges. Apple Watch users can earn a limited-edition “Ring in the New Year” award by closing all three Activity rings for seven consecutive days in January.
In addition, Apple Watch owners using Strava can join a monthlong “Quit Quitting” challenge in the Strava app. Anyone who logs 12 workouts during January receives an Apple Watch badge within Strava.
New multiweek Fitness+ programs
Apple Fitness+, now available in 48 countries and regions, is introducing several structured programs aimed at rebuilding routines and forming new habits:
- Make Your Fitness Comeback: A four-week plan for users returning to exercise, featuring three 10-minute workouts per week — one each of Strength, HIIT, and Yoga. Each week builds on the last to gradually increase intensity.
- Build a Yoga Habit in 4 Weeks: Designed to help users integrate yoga into their routine with two 10-minute sessions per week — one slower flow and one more energetic — to support flexibility, stress reduction, and strength.
- Back-to-Back Strength and HIIT: A three-week program with three 20-minute sessions per week, pairing 10 minutes of Strength with 10 minutes of HIIT performed consecutively without a break.
- Strength Basics in 3 Weeks: Launching January 12, this program targets users new to strength training or returning after a break. It offers three workouts per week, each focused on a different body area, to teach common moves and reinforce technique.
Artist Spotlight and Time to Walk updates
The Fitness+ Artist Spotlight series is adding new workouts built around full playlists from Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Karol G. On February 2, Fitness+ will introduce additional workouts in the Bad Bunny Artist Spotlight series, coinciding with the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show performance.
The Time to Walk audio series is also returning with new episodes featuring actor and producer Penn Badgley, singer and TV personality Mel B, and actor Michelle Monaghan. Each episode blends personal stories, photos, and music selections from the guest.
Fitness+ features, integrations, and access
Fitness+ is available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, with deeper integration when used alongside Apple Watch or AirPods Pro 3. During workouts, users can see real-time metrics such as heart rate and calories burned on screen.
Subscribers can follow premade Custom Plans or design their own by choosing workout days, types of activities, duration, trainers, and music preferences. The service then generates a schedule and sends reminders to help users stay consistent.
Strava subscribers can access up to three months of Fitness+ at no cost, depending on their Strava plan. Users can also share Fitness+ workouts to Strava, where sessions appear with detailed metrics.
Fitness+ offers a broad library of 4K video workouts and meditations led by an international trainer team. Content includes multiweek programs, an Artist Spotlight series built around specific musicians, Collections that group related sessions by goal or theme, and audio experiences such as Time to Walk and Time to Run. The service is available in 49 markets as of January 21, 2025.
Language support includes English with subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish, with Japanese subtitles being added. Select episodes are digitally dubbed using generated voices modeled on Fitness+ trainers in Spanish, German, and Japanese.
Apple Watch as a health and fitness hub
Apple positions Apple Watch as a central device for tracking workouts and health metrics throughout the year. The Workout app uses custom heart rate and calorie algorithms and an AI and machine learning model trained on 50 million hours of activity data to deliver advanced metrics for running, cycling, swimming, hiking, and more.
Users can monitor Activity rings, join challenges, share progress, and review weekly summaries and trends. The watch also tracks sleep, provides heart health notifications, supports menstrual cycle tracking, manages medication reminders, and measures environmental noise levels.
Third-party apps extend these capabilities, including services aimed at runners (such as Strava and Runna) and golfers (such as Golfshot and 18Birdies).
Heart rate sensing with AirPods Pro 3 and Powerbeats Pro 2 during workouts is supported in the Fitness app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV when those devices are running the latest operating systems (iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and tvOS 26) and paired with a compatible iPhone.
When users start a Fitness+ workout, the session begins automatically on Apple Watch, and Exercise and Stand rings can be shown onscreen while metrics sync in real time.
Apple Watch lineup and pricing
The current Apple Watch range targets different price points and use cases:
- Apple Watch Series 11: Features hypertension notifications, an ECG app, longer battery life, more durable cover glass, 5G cellular connectivity, and a thinner case design.
- Apple Watch SE 3: Offers core health, fitness, connectivity, and safety features, along with the S10 chip, an Always-On display, and fast charging at a lower price point.
- Apple Watch Ultra 3: Positioned as a sports and adventure model, it includes Emergency SOS via satellite, the largest Apple Watch display to date, up to 42 hours of battery life, and expanded health metrics.
In the U.S., Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399, Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $249, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 starts at $799. Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Watch SE 3 require an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later.
Fitness+ pricing, bundles, and eligibility
Apple Fitness+ is available as a standalone subscription for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year in the U.S., and can be shared with up to five family members.
The service is also included in the Apple One Premier bundle, where available, alongside Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and 2TB of iCloud+ storage, and can likewise be shared with up to five family members.
New Fitness+ subscribers may receive three months free with the purchase of an eligible new Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, AirPods Pro 3, or Powerbeats Pro 2 from Apple or authorized resellers.
Fitness+ requires an iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 7.2 or later paired with an iPhone 6s or later running iOS 14.3 or later.
Additional access routes include Wellhub, which offers Fitness+ at no cost for eligible users, and Anytime Fitness memberships, which include a Fitness+ subscription. Prospective Anytime Fitness members can receive up to two free months of Fitness+ as part of trial offers.
Strava subscribers can redeem two months of Fitness+ in addition to the standard one-month free trial for new Fitness+ users, while free Strava users can redeem one additional month. Depending on the plan, this offers up to three months of Fitness+ access. These promotions are available in select markets, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the U.S.
More information about Apple Fitness+ is available at apple.com/apple-fitness-plus, and details on the Apple Research app can be found at apple.com/ios/research-app.