Every year in February, Apple hosts a company wide fitness challenge for all of its employees at its corporate and retail offices around the world.
Employees are tasked with closing all three of their Apple Watch Activity rings every day during the month, and those that are successful earn a reward.
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Apple's 2020 challenge, which is in February because February is Heart Month, has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak in China and Apple's subsequent store closures. At this time, Apple has closed all stores, corporate offices, and contact centers in China in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus that has now been declared a global health emergency.
Apple earlier this week sent out the following email to employees, letting them know about the delay:
The Close Your Rings Challenge is one of those rare opportunities to bring team members and colleagues from around the world together with a common purpose to close our rings, earn some points, and have fun. With a number of our offices and stores closed in China right now and some of our team members unable to participate, we've decided to postpone the 2020 Close Your Rings Challenge. At this time, our Challenge will be removed from the Challenges app.
We'll update everyone as soon as we have a new date when we can all focus together in closing our rings!
Apple's retail and corporate locations in China are set to reopen on February 9, so the challenge could be reinstated sometime around then, though Apple may choose to wait even longer as it's unlikely concerns about the virus will have abated by then.
The 2020 challenge will reward employees who complete it with a t-shirt that says "2020" in an Apple Watch Activity Ring-style font.
Top Rated Comments
Australians also affected by smoke from fires.This is really interesting. I mean, everyone not working can still close their rings from home or doing other things while not at work.
Does Apple really care that much about the entire company being able to participate fairly at the same time? Or are they just trying to show some more love to China?
Idk. It’s a small thing Lol, but definitely interesting.
Refer to my first point. Again, it shows that you are unfamiliar with Asia. Nobody has exercise equipment in an Asian apartment. There simply is no space.People can’t work out in their home (small or not)? Who said anything about a vacation? People also can’t do chores in their home during a shutdown?
Not really sure you understood my post. I know what shutdown means.
Most people don't "work out" in urban Asian cities. The amount of daily walking necessary to take transit is their exercise.