One of the features that didn’t get highlighted during the WWDC keynote this year was something that is coming to Apple Fitness Plus. I’m personally stoked about this one, and it might actually get me to start using the fitness subscription service again.
All the way at the bottom of the iOS 17 Preview page, Apple revealed a couple of new features that are coming to the Fitness app. One was pretty simple — a redesign to the Sharing tab to get more visibility of your friend’s activity. However, the other could be transformative for the company’s Fitness Plus subscription service: Custom Plans.
According to Apple, Fitness Plus subscribers will now be able to create a custom workout and meditation schedule. While Apple has offered prebuilt workout plans with Fitness Plus, this is the first time subscribers will be able to custom-build their own plan.
The redesigned Sharing tab provides highlights of your friends’ activity like workout streaks and awards. Create a workout and meditation schedule based on exactly what you want with Custom Plans in Apple Fitness+.
I really liked Fitness Plus when the service was originally launched, but I’ve definitely seen my usage of the workout subscription service deteriorate over the last couple of years, largely due to missing features like building and easily following a workout plan. Other workout apps like Nike Run Club make signing up for and tracking a workout plan so easy that it was easy to jump ship from Fitness Plus to others.
However, with Custom Plans, Apple Fitness+ has my ear again. If it lets me create a plan that mixes its HIIT workouts, strength workouts, meditations, and its Audio Workouts for running, I will leave Nike Run Club in a heartbeat. Nothing against Nike, but such an experience would let me build a much more comprehensive workout plan that integrates well with my iPhone and Apple Watch.
It also doesn’t hurt that I’m already paying for Apple One Premier, so I might as well give it a go. The iOS 17 public beta day can’t come soon enough!
