Apple Watch Connected: Is Apple now killing all fitness apps?
Apple Watches are now talking to your fitness centre. The programme called "Apple Watch Connected" offers users some advantages, but raises questions about globalisation and a market lock-in.
In return for connecting to the Apple Watch, users receive discounts at fitness centres. In the case of Crunch Fitness, it is possible to save $3 per month.
Sign in, register, train
Apple Watch Connected is free for users. All they have to do is take out a fitness subscription and then receive a code from the gym, which they have to enter in the gym's WatchOS app. In the case of Crunch Fitness, this is Crunchtime Active Rewards.
For gyms, participation in Apple Watch Connected is free of charge. However, the companies must fulfil certain requirements that could cost them money. The gyms must also support Apple Pay. Furthermore, Apple's GymKit must be installed on the cardio devices.
The whole initiative sounds good, but is questionable from a data protection perspective. Not only is more data being channelled towards Apple, but gyms are being directed towards the Apple track. Will initiatives from other smartwatch manufacturers be authorised? Who exactly does the data go to? What will they do with it?
These questions remain unanswered. A report by the news channel CNBC only has a response from the gym chain Crunch Fitness on the topic of market research. The Apple data is not used to find out which cardio machines are used the most. This is already happening with other sensors.
For now, Apple Watch Connected is only being rolled out in the USA. As fitness devices are the same all over the world and some manufacturers dominate the market, an international launch is only a matter of time and will involve little additional effort. Apple Pay is likely to be the major obstacle, because without Apple Pay, there is no Apple Watch Connected.
The trend towards the app
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