Apple introduces its large-scale gym partnership program, Apple Watch Connected

Enlarge / The Apple Watch Series 5. (credit: Valentina Palladino)

According to a report from CNBC, Apple this week introduced "Apple Watch Connected," an initiative that sees the Cupertino company partnering with major gym chains to bring Apple Watch-related technologies and benefits to members of those gyms. Benefits include workout machines that play nice with the Watch, rewards programs based on workout data collected by the Watch, and special deals on products and services.

The first gyms to participate include Orange Theory, Crunch Fitness, YMCA, and Basecamp Fitness, but more may be added later. Apple doesn't require gyms to pay anything directly to the company to participate, though complying with all the requirements might produce additional expenses for said gyms.

Participating gyms must offer an app for either the iPhone or the Watch that allows members to track their fitness progress or activity, they must accept mobile payments via the tech company's Apple Pay system, and they have to offer some kind of rewards to members for achieving specific goals using the Watch. Additionally, gyms that make use of certain types of fitness equipment must use fitness that supports Apple's GymKit API for tracking workouts. Some gyms, like Orange Theory, are not focused on self-directed workout with machines and thus have slightly different requirements to meet with regards to GymKit, though.

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