Apple's 'Ring in the New Year' Activity Challenge Now Available

Apple's annual "Ring in the New Year" Activity Challenge has begun appearing for many users in the Fitness app on iPhone and Apple Watch over the last few days.

ring in the new year activity challenge 2021 e1609762693244
The challenge's rules are similar to previous New Year awards, requiring users to close all three Activity rings for seven days in a row in January.

Ring in the New Year Challenge
Start 2021 off right. This January, earn this award by closing all three rings for seven days in a row.

For the first time, Apple is also explicitly tying the Activity Challenge to its Fitness+ subscription workout service, which launched in December.

Completing the Challenge will award users with a unique badge viewable in the Awards section of the Fitness app on ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and Apple Watch.

Apple has shied away from offering activity challenges during 2020 as people have spent a lot more time indoors, so it's good to see the tradition returning and hopefully bodes well for the year to come.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...

Top Rated Comments

HeavenDynamic Avatar
65 months ago
I wish they did more frequent Activity Challenges. They are motivating.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iGeek2019 Avatar
65 months ago

i have a different one; I need to run/walk for 219 kms in the month..
I’ve got two for January; one is the ‘Ring in the New Year’ my other one is ‘burn 37,000 calories’ this month.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1Peace Avatar
65 months ago

For reference, I didn’t get this award for the week of 12/28/2020 - 1/3/2021. That means you’ll need to get a Perfect Week (All Activity) within one of these weeks:

1/4 - 1/10
1/11 - 1/17
1/18 - 1/24
1/25 - 1/31

Lots of chances. Stand ring is always the hardest for me so if I don’t get it by 1/17, I’ll have to consider adjusting it.
Read carefully description od the task. 7 days in a row not perfect week.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
obamtl Avatar
65 months ago

i have a different one; I need to run/walk for 219 kms in the month..
You’ll end up with 2. The run/walk one is specifically for you, for January, but a second one will also appear for ‘Ring in the New Year’ which will be a different badge, and that one will be about 7 consecutive days of closing all rings.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Complex757 Avatar
65 months ago
Four days down, three to go
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
65 months ago
Slow news.

Mine has been available in Fitness for a few days now.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)