What you need to know
- New betas of watchOS 7 and iOS 14 are now available to developers.
- The new updates bring AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+ users, allowing them to cast workouts to a compatible TV or device.
- Metrics won't be displayed on-screen, however will still be available to view on Apple Watch.
Apple has today rolled out new beta software for developers, adding AirPlay 2 support for Apple Fitness+, allowing users to stream the audio and video from workouts directly to a compatible device.
With the release of the first developer seed of iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, Apple Fitness+ users can now stream their workouts to compatible AirPlay 2 devices. Until now, Fitness+ users have been able to use workouts on their iOS devices like iPhone and iPad, as well as the Apple TV. With this new update, new workouts are now streamable to any AirPlay 2-enabled device, such as a smart TV.
Streaming a Fitness+ workout over AirPlay 2 will not display a user's metrics (Activity Rings, heart rate, etc.), but users will still be able to view these on their Apple Watch during a session. Currently, the only way to see your metrics on a TV is by using an Apple TV.
As noted, this feature is currently only available to developers on the iOS and watchOS betas, but as such will make its way to the public in the future.
The second big Fitness+ update in just a few days, Apple recently announced a brand new 'Time to Walk' audio experience on Fitness+ for Apple Watch. From that report:
If you're an Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+ customer, you're walking experiences are about to change thanks to Time to Walk. The feature includes audio content from "influential and interest people" who share stories, photos, and music. It works with Apple Watch and AirPods, or other Bluetooth headphones. Time to Walk launches with four audio experiences, with many more expected to arrive in the coming weeks and months.Episodes of Time to Walk are between 25 to 40 minutes in length and appear automatically in the Workout app on Apple Watch. You can also browse the available episodes in the Fitness+ tab in the Fitness app on your iPhone. For wheelchair customers, Time to Walk becomes Time to Push and automatically starts an Outdoor Wheelchair Walk Pace workout.
New workouts every week and a positive attitude for your fitness journey.
Fitness+ helps you find the workouts that are right for you, with a vast collection of sessions in practices like core training, yoga, and rowing. Each class is taught by a top-flight instructor, and new classes are added every Monday.
