iOS 14.4 beta suggests that guided audio workouts come to Apple Watch

As commented by Khaos Tian on Twitter, there’s an interesting new setting in the Workout app for Apple Watch. The name “Time to Walk” describes the function where walking workouts are downloaded to the watch when they are connected to the power and the iPhone is close.

This switch appears on the watch itself and in the companion Watch app on the iPhone. Combined with evidence from 9to5Mac code surveys, it appears that Apple’s guided audio workouts will be coming to the Watch soon.

This feature does not appear to be functional yet, so we can’t try it ourselves yet; it probably depends on changes on the server side.

The brand “Time to Walk” corresponds to the classic “Time to Stand” reminders, which encourage users to get up and walk around once an hour. So if this feature is rolled out, there will be targets to go hiking once a day.

Due to the fact that these special workouts need to be downloaded and automatically removed when completed, it follows that there is an accompanying soundtrack to these sessions.

This strongly suggests that Time to Walk workouts will look like guided sound workouts. 9to5Mac findings of the code support this, with references to ‘WORKOUT_GUIDED_WALK’ found in the beta source code.

Apple’s latest service, Apple Fitness +, currently does not include any types of workouts outside. A guided audio workout will definitely make sense for the service, but it’s not yet clear if Time to Walk will require a Fitness + entry. Source code strings indicate that the Fitness app will include these new audio workouts, but we have not yet been able to determine if they are available to anyone and if they will be behind the Fitness + payroll.

In concert with Time to Walk, the code references indicate that Apple is also doing “Time to Push” exercises for people who are physically disabled and unable to walk. This is similar to the way the Apple Watch already offers Time to Roll alerts as an alternative to Time to Stand reminders, for wheelchair users.

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