Apple officially launches new ‘Time to Walk’ feature for Apple Watch and Fitness +

Apple officially unveiled its new Time to Walk feature for Apple Watch and Apple Fitness + subscribers. Time to Walk delivers “an inspiring new audio walking experience on Apple Watch for Fitness + subscribers,” Apple said in a press release.

Apple says the new Time to Walk workouts will be available today and they appear to be slowly rolling out to Apple Watch users.

Apple describes the new Time to Walk feature, which 9to5Mac first reported earlier this month, to “encourage users to walk more often” and to reap the associated benefits:

Apple today unveiled Time to Walk, an inspiring new audio walking experience on Apple Watch for Fitness + subscribers, created to encourage people to walk more often and enjoy one of the healthiest activities. Each original episode of Time to Walk invites users to take a walk alongside influential and interesting people while sharing thoughtful and meaningful stories, photos and music. Time to Walk can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere with Apple Watch and AirPods or other bluetooth headphones.

Apple explains that each episode of Time to Walk is “shaped by the personal and defining moments in the guest’s life” and is “recorded while walking outdoors or in places that are meaningful to them.”

Time to Walk kicks off with four episodes with the following guests:

• Country music star Dolly Parton has won nine GRAMMYs and is also a recognized actor, businessman and humanitarian. Dolly reflects on her career, her family and her childhood in the Tennessee countryside. “I’ve loved walking since I was a kid in the Smoky Mountains,” says Parton. “I think it’s so important to be able to go out and walk if we can during this time. I do my best when I walk. And while many of us feel confined during this time, I hope people take a walk down memory lane with me and we can all feel a little more freedom taking the time to walk together.
• NBA player Draymond Green won three basketball championships with the Golden State Warriors, helping to change the way the game is played. He reflects on the virtues of failure and the separation of criticism. “There is nothing better than a walk in nature, lost in my thoughts and take a deep breath of fresh air,” says Green. “Take all the stresses of your day and let them blow with the wind. I hope that sharing my stories with those who walk with me will give them the same motivation to pursue their dreams that I had from pursuing mine.
• Musician Shawn Mendes went viral on social media at 15, had her first platinum album at 19, and has been around the world. He shares how a slower pace has helped him personally and creatively. “Going for a walk is a great way to clear your mind,” says Mendes. “It’s the easiest thing you can do to calm body and soul, think and slow down. I hope people will feel the same calm feeling that I do while walking and can bring this to their own experiences.
• Uzo Aduba, winner of an Emmy Award found fame on the series, Orange is the new black, but only after many rejections. She talks about lifelong relationships and keeping the faith. “I love to walk alone or with my dog,” says Aduba. “It’s a time to connect and have conversations with myself that can often be overlooked throughout the day, and bring peace of mind. The experience of walking and telling my stories has given me that familiar feeling that walking brings, answering questions that need to be answered and touching on topics that need to be addressed. I am so excited to share this with those who take the time to walk with me.

Apple adds that new Time to Walk episodes will appear in the Workout app on Apple Watch by a different guest every Monday through the end of April. All previous episodes will also be accessible. Episodes are 25 to 40 minutes long and are available in the Workout app on Apple Watch.

Once a Time to Walk episode is selected on Apple Watch, a walk workout automatically begins, and you can go at any pace that matches your fitness level. Additionally, for Apple Watch wheelchair users, Time to Walk becomes Time to Push.

Time to Walk requires AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones to be paired with your Apple Watch. Once the episodes are downloaded, a WiFi or cellular connection is not necessary. You can manually download new episodes or toggle the setting to automatically download and add the most recent settings to your Apple Watch. The workouts will then be downloaded and added when your Apple Watch is connected to power and WiFi.

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