GymKit
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Apple Watch Connected program rewards you for wearing it to the gym
Apple is launching a new Apple Watch Connected partnership program this week to make it more compelling to use the company's wearable at your local gym. At launch, it is partnering with four chains in the US -- Orangetheory, Basecamp Fitness, YMCA and Crunch Fitness -- with more to come. Gyms can join the program for free as long as they offer a set of specific perks to members.
Apple Watch GymKit syncing arrives in exactly one US gym
GymKit syncing on the Apple Watch technically arrived with watchOS 4.1, but there's been one main obstacle to using it: actually finding a gym that supports it. Only one fitness center each in Australia and the UK have enabled it so far, while Americans have had to go without. At last, though, it's available stateside... sort of. One solitary gym in New York City, Life Time Athletic at Sky, now has 13 GymKit-capable machines (including treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and stair steppers) that will pair with your smartwatch.
Apple watchOS 4.1 delivers phone-free music streaming
For many, the big allure of Apple Watch Series 3 has been the promise of phone-free music streaming on cellular data: you can listen to any song you like while you're out for a run, not just whatever's stored on the watch itself. And now you can see whether or not it lives up to the hype. Apple has released watchOS 4.1, which lets you stream either Apple Music or your iCloud Music Library directly from your wristwear. You'll need a Series 3 watch, of course, but you're no longer tethered to your iPhone if you demand fresh tunes at all times.
