Apple’s subscription-based Fitness Plus service launched towards the end of last year, and it’s already got an update that aims more for meditative walks than intense workouts. Also, it’s Apple Watch-only.
Time to Walk is a series of audio experiences voiced by celebrities that are meant to be listened to while walking, like podcasts for gentle strolls. The first series of four episodes launched Monday, with country legend Dolly Parton, NBA champion Draymond Green, musician Shawn Mendes and Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba. New celebrity episodes will pop up once a week through April. Apple hasn’t yet made a commitment as to how long the series will continue after that.
Time to Walk episodes will be automatically downloaded to Fitness Plus subscribers’ Apple Watches and will play over Bluetooth headphones. Walkers will have access to the usual exercise metrics like time, pace, heart rate, and distance, and Apple says Time to Walk will display photos on your Apple Watch timed to moments in each guest’s story. Time to Walk is called Time to Push for wheelchair users, and it relies on watchOS’s wheelchair workout tracking to provide fitness information.
In terms of subject matter and tone, Time to Walk episodes sound like they’re more in the TED Talk school of inspirational audio than something you might hear on a laidback podcast, but for fans of each star or influential guest, they might be worth a listen and stroll.
