Apple is launching a new feature for Apple Fitness Plus subscribers that turns your Apple Watch into a motivational running coach: Apple Time to Run.
A new Time to Run episode will be downloaded to your watch each week, starting Monday January 10, and the only other things you need are a pair of Bluetooth headphones and your running shoes . Each run is led by one of Apple's coaches, who has plotted a running route through one of the world's biggest cities, and takes you on a guided tour while giving you guidance on technique.
Although you can follow the coach's exact route if you happen to be in the same location, Time to Run is designed as a virtual experience that you can use anywhere. To help set the scene, pictures will pop up on your watch face along the way, highlighting points of interest the coach has photographed using their iPhone , and you can save the snaps to your photo library or share them afterwards.
To keep things varied, each coach has put together training advice themed around their city. For example, for his run around central London, coach Cory Wharton-Malcolm has devised a series of tips based around the acronym LONDONER. There's also a soundtrack of music inspired by the city
You can take the run at your own pace, outdoors or on a treadmill. If you use a wheelchair there's also a Outdoor Push Running Pace option.
Strolling with the stars
If you feel like taking things at a more gentle pace, Apple is releasing a new season of Time to Walk episodes, too. Time to Walk, which launched last year, encourages you to get out and take a stroll while listening to personal stories from celebrities, sportspeople, and other public figures.
As with Time to Run, you'll see photos on your watch face throughout the episode that help you feel more involved, and at the end you'll hear a playlist of three songs chosen by the narrator.
Apple hasn't yet revealed all the guests for series three, but the list includes actors Rebel Wilson and Chris Meloni, activists Bernice A King and Ayọ Tometi, and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.
If you've set yourself a health goal for the new year, Apple has also introduced a new Fitness Plus feature called collections, which are curated workouts and meditations designed to help you achieve a particular target – whether that's running your first 5K, developing better bedtime habits, improving your posture, or boosting your core strength.
Finally, there are three new workouts in the Artist Spotlight series, each of which is based around the music of a particular artist. The latest batch of sessions revolve around the work of Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams, Shakira, and the Beatles, and new workouts for each artist will arrive every Monday for the next four weeks.
This smart chilled mattress topper revealed at CES 2022 puts an end to sweaty nights
Ever struggle to sleep and wake in a sweaty mess? US company Sleepme could have the answer: a cooled mattress topper that not only keeps your bed the ideal temperature, but also tracks your biometrics overnight so you can see just how much it's improving your sleep.
The Chilisleep Dock Pro, which was unveiled at CES 2022 , is like always having the cool side of the pillow. The principle is the same as a water-cooled PC – the breathable topper contains channels filled with water, which is cooled and circulated by a control unit that sits underneath your bed.
You can also program the topper to change temperature on a timer, and it can gradually warm you in the morning to simulate the effect of a sunrise and gently rouse you in the morning using the same principle as a wake-up light .
Unlike previous models, the Dock Pro has a new mesh layer for better airflow, and no tubes inside to increase the cooling area. It's quieter too (a big advantage for light sleepers), at around 41-46 decibels. That's just a little louder than most air purifiers , and around the same as light rainfall.
Deeper sleep by subscription
Sleepme also used CES 2022 to launch its new Sleepme+ service, which allows you to pair the The Dock Pro with the Sleepme Insight – a sleep tracker that collects stats on sleep stages and duration.
Like the Withings Sleep Analyzer , the Sleepme Insight is a slim mat that slips underneath your mattress where it can measure your heart rate, breathing rate, bed temperature, and more. When the two devices are used together, their machine learning algorithms can automatically change the temperature of your bed to extend deep and REM sleep.
We've seen a lot of new health subscription services over recent months (the third-generation Oura smart ring and Amazon Halo View fitness tracker both require a regular payment to unlock their full features), and Sleepme+ is another one competing for your attention.
Sleepme+ subscribers will get a Sleepme Insight free, and the company also promises personalized sleep training guides and resources. These will include tailored fitness strategies including fitness and meditation, all based on your personal sleep data, plus access to a community of other members.
Analysis: Yet another subscription service?
Overheating at night can be a real problem, and doesn't just happen if the temperature of your room is too high. It can also be due to illness, hormonal fluctuations, certain medications, or anxiety. If you often wake in a sweat then you should talk to your doctor, but if the reason is something benign then a smart bed chiller could be the perfect solution.
Whether sweaty sleepers will be willing to pay for yet another subscription service, however, is another matter. It'll need to offer a lot for unsettled sleepers to consider adding it to their monthly budget, or replacing their membership to Fitbit Premium or Apple Fitness Plus .
We don't yet have a price for Sleepme+ membership alone, but the Chilisleep Dock Pro system will be available to pre-order with a 12-month subscription for an early-bird price of $1,299 (about £960 / AU$1,800) in late March.
Your Coros running watch just got a huge upgrade for the new year
Hot on the heels of Garmin and Polar , Coros has released a huge firmware update that adds a generous set of new training features to its running watches. If you own a supported device, you can upgrade it now via the Coros mobile app and start putting the new tools to the test.
One of the new tools coming to the Coros Vertix 1 , Vertix 2 , Apex Pro, Apex 42, and Apex 46 is Adjusted Pace, which estimates what your pace would be if you were running on completely flat ground. It should prove useful for helping you gauge your effort level, and analyze your training intensity.
Running uphill is more demanding than running on the flat, so if your training route involves some inclines then you'll see that your Adjusted Pace is faster than your actual pace. The reverse is true for descents, where your Adjusted Pace will be slower.
If you own a Coros Vertix 2, Vertix 1, Apex Pro, Pace 2 , or Kiprun 500, you can now track virtual runs with only your watch and a treadmill. Once you've received the firmware update, use your phone or computer to pair your watch with a virtual running platform like Zwift or Rouvy. Once that's done, select the 'Virtual Run' option on your watch, wait for the watch to be found, and you're ready to begin.
Virtual runs like these are particularly useful for training in poor weather conditions, or when you want to train in a tightly controlled environment.
Temperature check
All Coros watches are now compatible with Core body temperature sensors as well. These are non-invasive devices that stick to your chest using an adhesive patch, or can be held there using a strap. Unlike the temperature sensors built into many sports watches, they're unaffected by environmental conditions, and give a medical-grade reading of your core temperature.
This can tell you a lot about your body while you're exercising. For example, if your core temperature is elevated, blood is going to be diverted to your skin where it can be cooled, and less will be available for your muscles.
On the subject of temperature, Coros watches can now use their own built-in thermometers to measure the water temperature during pool and open-water swimming activities, so you can see how training conditions affect your workouts. It's also a useful tool for temperature acclimatization.
Finally, outdoor activity summaries in the Coros app now support 3D overlays, so you can see changes in elevation at a glance.