You Can Use the iOS 16 Fitness App for Activity Tracking Without an Apple Watch

It’s not about the money, it’s about the fact that i don’t like the AW as a watch, and prefer my nice big 5lb mechanical watch. I LOVE the fitness tuff on the AW, I’ve said it many times the person who invented those Rings should get a Noble Piece Prize, that person(s) will save millions of lives; BUT I hate the AW for everything else, I don’t like it as a watch, I hate that it takes over all the notifications (screen lighting up and dinging) from my phone, I hate that instead of looking at my 6” phone I’m now reading everything on 1.77” “watch” that I need to turn my wrist and twist my neck to read.

All fair enough if you don’t like it but you should be aware that watch notifications are completely customisable. You can have it effectively just be a watch if you prefer. It won’t alert you to things if you set it so it doesn’t. I can totally see why you might prefer a proper watch but annoying notifications isn’t a valid criticism of Apple Watch. Ten minutes in the phone app is all that’s needed to configure it to better suit your needs. It also has silent mode, theatre mode and even airplane mode 👍

The sad news is that you loose this if you have a Apple Watch.it’s one or another.

Wait. What? Lose what?

You lose nothing if you have Apple Watch.

Before Apple Watch… didn’t the health app or something similar track steps and walking? I could have sworn that was a thing and was marketed as keeping your iPhone in your pocket to count steps

Yes, the steps and miles walked count is in the health app. But it lacks the calories burned estimate

The Health App might currently track steps and flights (stairs not beer) the Fitness App has RINGS. Those rings are now a Lockscreen option.

I would REALLY like the idea of mapping my walks or hikes since I don’t have an AppleWatch.

Good move by Apple. Now even those without an Apple Watch can track activity. Might not be so accurate though. But still a good alternative

It’s not about the money, it’s about the fact that i don’t like the AW as a watch, and prefer my nice big 5lb mechanical watch. I LOVE the fitness tuff on the AW, I’ve said it many times the person who invented those Rings should get a Noble Piece Prize, that person(s) will save millions of lives; BUT I hate the AW for everything else, I don’t like it as a watch, I hate that it takes over all the notifications (screen lighting up and dinging) from my phone, I hate that instead of looking at my 6” phone I’m now reading everything on 1.77” “watch” that I need to turn my wrist and twist my neck to read.

I…think the Watch may just not be for you then. It seems like you dislike everything it’s supposed to be.

You could get the extra expensive version with the heavier case and the metal link band and make it super heavy though, if you miss how heavy and expensive traditional watches are.