- Polar launches the fitness program, a ‘subscription-based addition to the polar ecosystem’
- It’s an adaptive four-week training program that costs € 9.99 (approximately $ 11 / £ 8.50 / AU $ 18)
- The message comes after the Garmin Connect +’s disastrous reception
Polar, manufacturer of some of the best running watches, has revealed its new fitness program addition to its Polar Flow app, a ‘subscription-based addition to the polar ecosystem’, which costs € 9.99 (about $ 11 / £ 8.50 / AU $ 18) per. Month.
For the price, you get access to a four-week customized training program that is claimed to be adaptive, science-supported and based on the data collected from users’ polar accounts.
Users get weekly and monthly rewards (though what these rewards consist of are unspecified) and are said to be ‘an ideal addition for users who have asked for new, more adaptable ways to train.
In a press release, Polar said Polar Flow will remain free and a subscription is not necessary to ‘fully enjoy’ polar products or Polar Flow service.
Polar should be painfully aware of the catastrophic reception of Garmin’s Connect+ Initiative, a paid level on top of his former free Connect app. We saw lots of readers writing in with their Garmin Connect+ complaints for fear of future new Garmin features that would have previously been free updates to users’ expensive Garmin watches would be paid.
The language of the official press release we saw uses words like ‘personalized’ and ‘adaptable’, which usually means ‘AI’ in tech circles. Garmin’s use of generative AI to create questionable insight has got a lot of stick on social media.
However, there are some differences between Polar’s approach to a Premium level and Garmins: A polar spokesman reached me and confirmed that AI is used at some level of tailoring the programs for individuals, but generative AI responsible for placing Garmin’s analysis in friendly sentences and sections is not used.
Polar spokesman also confirmed the company’s attitude to put new features behind a payment wall saying: “The new fitness program does not affect the development of other polar services in any way” and would continue to roll new features for users of each level.
The Fitness program is available to Android users now in the EU, Norway and in England. IOS expansion is expected later in the year.
