New apps are coming to Apple Watch, it seems.
David Phelan
New apps are coming for Apple Watch Series 7 and the iPhone 13, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed. The exact date when the iPhone and Watch will be revealed is discussed here on Forbes.
Gurman made his claims in the latest issue of his Power On newsletter and In naming them, he was revealing apps that Apple had not.
He re-affirmed the rumors that have already had some currency, such as the smart new redesign that’s expected and is the biggest change to the look of the Watch since it was first launched.
But he went on to break more news, that there would be software additions.
Time to Run
When Apple launched its Fitness+ subscription last year, it was the first service that was designed primarily for Apple Watch, though it works on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, too.
But then came Time to Walk, a feature for Apple Watch (and Bluetooth headphones) only. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It is a simple enough experience: you listen to a special guest as you walk and it becomes an intimate experience because that person is taking a walk while you are.
So, the new app seems to be a continuation of that. Time to Run is pretty self-explanatory, though it’s not clear if it will follow the same format. Will the times be different? Although you might be happy to fit in with Apple’s choice of the length of the walk (around 30 minutes), runners often have more specific needs. We’ll find out soon enough.
Audio Meditations
This is the second app that Gurman has mentioned and though it’s something he’s mentioned in connection with the Apple Watch, it’s possible this will be on the iPhone as well.
We already know that the excellent Breathe app has been redesigned and becomes part of a new app called Mindfulness, adding a new session type called Reflect. Apple says: “Reflect offers a mindful intention to focus on for as little as one minute that can be done anywhere and at any time. Each Reflect session welcomes the user with a unique, thoughtful notion to consider that invites a positive frame of mind.”
But meditations sound like something designed to compete with established apps like the brilliant Headspace. Apple won’t be able to match the sheer breadth of Headspace’s content, but the convenience of launching a meditation on your wrist could be a great addition to Apple Watch. And audio meditations on the iPhone would doubtless be as slickly done as Fitness+. Will the animations be as cheerfully simple and seductive as Headspace?
What’s not clear is if these extra apps will only be available to Fitness+ subscribers, which seems likely to me. The expanded Apple Watch Mindfulness app is available without subscription.
We’ll have the answers in just a few weeks.
