Apple Employees Begin Receiving Rewards for 'Close Your Rings' Internal Challenge - MacRumors
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Apple Employees Begin Receiving Rewards for 'Close Your Rings' Internal Challenge

In February, Apple updated its website with a new section explaining the advantages of closing the Apple Watch's three Activity rings. At the same time, the company kicked off an internal challenge for its employees that tasked them with closing their Move, Exercise, and Stand rings every day for the entire month.

apple watch close your rings 2018


Those who managed this feat have now begun receiving their rewards, and posting shots of the loot on Reddit. Included in the gift is a card that congratulates employees on achieving their personal Activity ring goals for an entire month, along with an exclusive all-black Woven Nylon band that has a hint of the Activity ring's blue/green/red color scheme on the band fastener.

This was the second "Close Your Rings" fitness challenge for company employees, with the rewards last year including an Activity rings pin and a matching T-shirt. For the 2018 challenge, eBay users have already begun taking advantage of the Woven Nylon band's exclusive status, with Buy-it-Now prices going as high as $250-$350 at the time of writing. Apple sells Woven Nylon bands for $50.

Besides internal challenges, Apple frequently launches public Activity challenges on Apple Watch, with recent ones focused on International Women's Day, Heart Month, and the New Year.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11

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Top Rated Comments

sc0rch3d Avatar
109 months ago
I work for a Fortune 100 company (not Apple) and this device thing is catching on very quickly. Our company formerly gave us some insurance discounts as long as we had a yearly physical. They have now traded that for fitness challenges (for example, log 30min of exercise for 50 different days in a quarter) and health coaching to earn HSA dollars. In the end, it's a better value. I find, when it comes to health, you're more likely to motivate people with a carrot rather than a whip.

I'm already a runner but my Apple Watch has motivated me to be more active than I already was.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
109 months ago
We created a lifestyle that promotes sedentary unhealthy habits and posture, then we created a device to encourage you not to do that.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Biff... Avatar
109 months ago
The rings are probably the least appealing aspect of an Apple Watch to me. It blows my mind that people want a device to beep at them to stand, move, etc. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that could be more annoying from a piece of technology.
It is not about the beep, or reminders- I turn those off. For me its about the sense of accomplishment, seeing those rings closed stands for one more accomplishment I achieved for that day. I know its a small thing, but so far I've managed to exploit it for all its worth and have workout consistently for the last 6 months, lost 25 pounds.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
109 months ago
The rings are probably the least appealing aspect of an Apple Watch to me. It blows my mind that people want a device to beep at them to stand, move, etc. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that could be more annoying from a piece of technology.
I disagree. I think the Apple Watch serves as a reminder to maintain your goals and to not allow yourself to become complacent for your workout regiment. I can understand you’re annoyed by the reminders, for many, that’s the purpose of the reminders is to motivate them somewhat to keep the mindset they neeed to move when they necessarily don’t want to.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
109 months ago
I want! Wish we could get little loops like that tri color loop to add to our bands. That would be fun!!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Biff... Avatar
109 months ago
Its amazing what the desire to close the 3 rings can motivate people to do, for me its a daily physical need that needs to be done. I can't imagine what adding rewards to the equation would do.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)