Apps

Apple Fitness+ now available to all iPhone users in 21 countries

With updates that make fitness even more fun!

Published

September 9, 2022

MJ Jucutan

Heads up, Fitness buffs!

Apple’s Fitness+ is coming to iPhone users on an update later this fall, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch. The feature is coming to 21 countries and will be fully integrated with the Fitness app coming with iOS 16.

Fitness enthusiasts will only need an iPhone to sign up to experience Fitness+ on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Successful users will have access to the entire service comprised of 3,000 studio-type workouts and meditations.

Meanwhile, Fitness+ users with an Apple Watch can continue with their lives. Take motivations to the next level with personalized real-time metrics, and enjoy “Time to Walk”, “Time to Run”, and meditations with just the Apple Watch paired with AirPods or other Bluetooth-enabled headphones.

Time to Walk

Fitness+ introduces the fourth season of Time to Walk, an inspiring audio experience on the Apple Watch. The experience aims to encourage people to walk more often, with help from some of the world’s most interesting and influential people.

Time to Walk has featured 58 guests to date. In its fourth season, it will bring Regina Hall, Nicky Jam, Ade Adepitan, Constance Wu, and Meghan Trainor.

Time to Run

On the other hand, Time to Run — an audio running experience that inspires users in their everyday run — will add new episodes featuring popular running routes.

In its second season, locations such as Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Mexico City, Anchorage in Alaska, Monterey in California, Seattle, and Queenstown in New Zealand will be added.

Each episode is led by a Fitness+ trainer with inspiring coaching tips, curated music playlists, and photos of notable sights along the route.

Enhancements in WatchOS 9 and iOS 16

With iOS 16, Fitness+ users can now earn dedicated awards for personal records, streaks, or major milestones. For watchOS 9, Fitness+ workouts get additional onscreen guidance.

There will be trainer coaching, showcasing Strokes per Minute (SPM) for Rowing, Revolutions per Minute (RPM) for Cycling, and Incline for walkers and runners in Treadmill.

Moreover, subscribers without Apple TV can use AirPlay to stream workouts on third-party devices.

Artist Spotlight, Collections, and more

More updates coming to Fitness+ include Artist Spotlight, a dedicated workout playlist that appears across different workout types.

There’s also a new collection called Pilates for More Than Your Core. Other existing, available collections in the service include Train to Row a Fast 2000 Meters, Run Your First 5K, Get into a Groove with Dance, Resilience for Life’s Ups and Downs, and more.

Furthermore, Dice Iida-Klein joins the roster of the Fitness+ trainer team, with 15 years of experience teaching yoga around the world.

Price, availability

Apple Fitness+ is available as a subscription service for US$ 9.99 per month or US$ 79.99 per year, and can be shared with up to five other family members.

It’s now available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US.

Apps

Google, on Android adopting Liquid Glass: “Not happening!”

Just in case you were wondering.

Published

May 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Google is slightly moving away from Material Design. Last week, a set of icon changes saw Android adding splashes of gradients to its formerly flat app icons. To poke fun at Android’s move away from flat designs, a user on X created a mockup of Android running Apple’s Liquid Design. Google, however, had a response ready in the chamber.

On X, @Micetor made a mockup of Android, specifically on the upcoming Pixel 11, using Apple’s latest Liquid Design aesthetics. It looked much like what an iPhone does except with Google’s icons and fonts.

Clearly, Google does not need to reply to any unsubstantiated mockups about its ecosystem. But they still did.

Sameer Samat, Google’s head for the Android ecosystem, personally replied to the mockup with a simple rebuttal: “Not happening!”

Not happening! Y'all are wild. 😂

— Sameer Samat (@ssamat) May 5, 2026

Despite using the design language for over a decade, Google does not want to drop Material Design altogether. Though the new gradients have revitalized the design language somewhat, the essence of flat design is still there.

Apple, on the other hand, wants a return to 3D. Liquid Design mimics the transparent aesthetics of Windows Vista. Though a bunch of users have found the design polarizing, other brands have started copying the design for themselves, incorporating elements on Liquid Design on their interfaces.

Whatever Google is doing, it’s coming in due time. The company is hosting its annual Google I/O on May 12 to showcase new developments coming to the Android ecosystem, including its design.

Apps

iOS 26.5 will support end-to-end encryption RCS messaging

The final update should come out within the month.

Published

May 5, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Back in 2023, Apple finally adopted the RCS messaging standard, ensuring that iOS and Android users could communicate more seamlessly despite being on different platforms. This year, the platform is adding an improvement to the feature: end-to-end encryption.

Starting with the upcoming launch of iOS 26.5, Apple will now support end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iOS and Android users (via 9to5Mac). Besides the seamless communication, users on both platforms can start enjoying secure messaging with one another.

Apple has been testing the feature since February. Now, the company is confident enough to release the encryption technology in a new build for iOS 26.5 meant for developers. At this point, it’s just waiting for an actual release.

Why is this a big deal? Encryption adds an extra layer of security for your messages. Plus, end-to-end encryption means that messages is encrypted and decrypted only by the sender and the receiver. Third parties, which includes Apple, cannot intercept and access your information.

With the feature on, both messaging platforms on Android and iOS will show a lock icon to signify that, yes, your messages are encrypted.

Though the current build isn’t meant for end users just yet, it’s expected that iOS 26.5 will launch within the month, if not by next week.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 17e review

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.