Roger Fingas
Apple has created a new website, "Close Your Rings," explaining how the Apple Watch's Activity app works and some of the ways people can reach its "Move," "Exercise," and "Stand" goals.
The site's Move section, for example, provides a brief intro to the concept of active calories, and shows how to change daily goals. It also suggests picking an Activity-themed watchface, or at least adding the appropriate complication.
The health benefits of closing rings are a recurring theme.
"30 minutes of brisk activity every day can help minimize the chance of stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and weight gain," the Exercise section says. "It can also help improve sleep and mood, as well as reduce stress."
Apple also highlights Challenges and Achievements, and the Watch's wheelchair support, which changes Stand to "Roll," and identifies different arm movements when counting Move and Exercise data.
The company has made the Activity app a focus in both internal and external marketing. This year the company held its second annual "Close the Rings" event, encouraging workers to hit certain goals in exchange for rewards — the top prize being a unique Watch band.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
10 Comments
Just visited it and its pretty cool and actually learned a few things about my watch I didn't even know.
With my Watch and going low carb, I’m down almost 80lbs over two years. I’ve got a streak of 450 perfect days and ran my first half marathon last November.
I can’t say the Watch is the only reason, but it has motivated me when nothing else before it did!
For a few months now I've been trying to close all the rings on my Apple Watch each day. Don't always manage to do it but each month I get a bit better at closing them. Since I've been doing this my health has improved.
I’m addicted to closing all three rings daily. Been working out (cardio 30 min, strength 25-30 min) five days a week for the past three years. Picked up the series 3 in October and now doing variety exercise workouts on the weekends to get to seven days. Started at 880 Move calories to close when I got the watch, and now at 1010! Best is total calories. I’m now at 3200 per day so I control my eating at 2250-2500 without any diet at all (but obviously no fast or junk foods), and I’ve dropped 10 pounds in 4 months...really dropped, not just water fluctuations, etc. Slow and sure is my routine. Hitting 50 in April and feeling like I’m 35 again! Love this device!