GoKawiilApple is assessing the future of Apple Fitness+, according to a new Bloomberg report. The company has reportedly laid off a “handful of employees” working on the service, a move viewed as just the beginning of bigger changes still to come.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman says the layoffs affect people working on the audio features for Fitness+. That includes features like the guided Time to Walk and Time to Run audio sessions. Gurman notes, however, that new releases aren’t going away “completely,” but rather they will “drop in frequency.”
Apple Fitness+, however, is not “on the chopping block,” at least as of right now:
I don’t believe, as of this second, that the service is on the chopping block, but given the considerable costs, ever-present demand for new content and subscriber churn rates, it’s an easy place for Apple to look to make cuts. And that is starting now.
These layoffs are likely just the first shoe to drop for the future of Fitness+, though:
Still, this is widely seen within the Fitness+ organization as the beginning of more drastic cost-cutting measures and other major changes to the service in the months and years ahead.
Last November, Gurman reported that the future of Apple Fitness+ was “under review.” Leadership of the service shifted to services boss Eddy Cue and health boss Sumbul Desai. Cue has reportedly pressed Apple to “move faster and be more competitive” in health and fitness.
Gurman speculates that Apple will eventually integrate Fitness+ into the revamped Health app. I think he’s spot on with this. What about you? Let us know down in the comments.
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