Skip to main content

Orangetheory teams with Apple Watch to track your high-intensity workouts

Just in time for fitness-related New Year’s resolutions, you’ll soon be able to incorporate your Apple Watch into your Orangetheory interval training workout with a new partnership between the tech giant and the fitness franchise. 

The gym that has a cult-like following thanks to its trainer-led, high-intensity workouts announced on Thursday a new custom-made device called OTbeat Link. The small device is worn on the Apple Watch band and would be able to track heart rate data needed for an Orangetheory workout while still counting your workout toward your watch’s daily Activity Rings. 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to the press release, a common request from Orangetheory members was to have the ability to sync their Apple Watch with the Orangetheory heart rate system. 

“Member experience has been at the forefront of all that we do since the brand’s inception,” Orangetheory co-founder and CEO Dave Long said in the press release. “We’re addressing the needs of our members by providing an integration between the workout they do and the technology they use, leading to a seamless fitness experience and healthier life.”

Those who work out at the high-intensity interval training gym must either rent or purchase a heart rate monitor before taking a class. The monitor tracks your heart rate zones throughout the workout, with the goal of getting into the “orange zone.” The partnership with Apple will allow people with an Apple Watch to exercise without the use of one of Orangetheory’s heart rate monitors that either goes across your chest or wraps around your upper arm.

You’ll have to purchase the OTBeat Link for $129 if you want to use your Apple Watch during your workout. The device will be available to all 1,300 Orangetheory studios starting early next year.

A new Orangetheory app will also accompany the OTbeat Link. The app will show you what “color zone” you’re in during your workout, as well as provide you with post-workout reports. 

Orangetheory told CNET that there aren’t plans to incorporate other smartwatches or fitness devices, such as those offered by Fitbit. 

The Apple Watch has already been integrated into other popular fitness brands such as Peloton, the Mirror, and more. 

Dueling fitness trackers

Apple Watch has solidified a position for itself as a premiere fitness tracker, and a dominant player in the wearables market. That said, it could soon have some competition: Google bought Fitbit for $2.1 billion in November. The search giant has largely failed in making a ubiquitous wearable on the level of the Apple Watch, but the Fitbit acquisition could give it an advantage. Now it just needs the right partners.

Orangetheory’s partnership with Apple is a sign that it’s not going to just be hardware that determines the winner of the wearable wars — companies will need to partner with major fitness brands if they want to put out a must-have device. If Google puts out an official CrossFit or Bikram Yoga fitness tracker, there’s suddenly a built-in audience for the product. Apple’s tapped into one of the most trendy fitness programs in the country, it only makes sense its competitors could do something similar.

Editors' Recommendations

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
Apple Watch Series 3 could be discontinued later this year
apple watch series 3 smartwatch bargain heart rate back

Popular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reveals that the Apple Watch Series 3 will be discontinued soon after it turns five generations old. He shared the information in a tweet stating that the watch will be retired in the third quarter of 2022 as its hardware may not be capable of handling the next version of Watch OS.

To recall, the Apple Watch Series 3 was unveiled in 2017. It packs the S3 chipset and is the oldest watch in the lineup to support the latest WatchOS 8. But the computing system is quite old to support new software updates. In reference to that, multiple users have reported how difficult it is to update the Apple Watch Series 3 with every new software version. Along with the hardware, the design has also become dated, with the Series 3 being the last Apple Watch to feature large bezels around the display.

Read more
The best Apple Watch Series 6 tips and tricks
Apple Watch Series 6

The combination of the Apple Watch Series 6 and WatchOS 8 software is powerful. The last generation Apple Watch comes with a variety of useful features that can help in your daily life -- if you know how to use them. We offer a list of our favorite tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Series 6 in conjunction with WatchOS 8.
Zoom in and out using the Digital Crown
The Apple Watch Series 6 lets you zoom in or zoom out to have a closer look at the contents of your watch face. To use it, open Settings and scroll down to Accessibility. Tap to open it, and you’ll see the Zoom control, which is off by default. Toggle the switch on to launch Zoom and then double-tap on the screen using two fingers to enable size adjustments with the Digital Crown. You can also use the settings to specify the maximum amount of zoom you want. To zoom out, double-tap on the screen using two fingers and it will return the screen to normal viewing.
Ring your iPhone
Where, oh where, is your iPhone? If it's in silent mode and you've misplaced it, you can use your Apple Watch Series 6 to ping it. Open the Control Center on your watch and tap on the iPhone button. Your iPhone will then make a loud dinging sound -- even if it is silent mode -- signaling precisely where it is located.
Use your watch as a camera remote
Open the Camera Remote app on your Apple Watch 6 to automatically launch the Camera app on your iPhone. Then tap the shutter button on your watch or use the timer to snap a picture.
Use the always-on display more effectively
The Apple Watch Series 6 has an always-on display, which allows it to show useful alerts and data without the need to activate or unlock. With Series 6, the always-on display is much brighter than previous models and incorporates direct control capabilities. You can tap for basic features  -- complications, notification center, and Control Center without unlocking the watch.
Activate Siri with wrist motion
Do you give Siri commands via the Apple Watch? The Series 6 has a super-handy intuitive feature for this -- simply lift your wrist at any time and say your Siri command -- no need to say “Hey Siri” first. The wrist motion automatically lets Siri know it’s all right to start listening, without unlocking the watch, so you can give immediate commands or ask quick questions.
Track blood oxygen levels
For the Series 6, Apple redesigned the way it measures certain health indicators and added the ability to measure your blood oxygen levels (or Sp02 data). You can find this option in the Health app under Respiratory information, or you can visit the dedicated Blood Oxygen app within the WatchOS. Your Watch also monitors background blood oxygen levels several times a day, which allows you to check how much oxygen your body is getting over time. While this shouldn’t be used to diagnose any specific condition, it can offer insight into overall respiratory health, which your doctor may be interested in checking, alongside other testing.
Use the improved altimeter
Apple redesigned the altimeter in the Series 6 to track your elevation and provide real-time elevation changes via a more powerful, accurate sensor. The tool is much more useful to hikers, climbers, skiers, and even surveyors for tracking real-time elevation changes, even if it’s just a foot or two of difference.
Control universal volume with the Digital Crown
Digital Crown is the fancy name for the large rotating dial on the side of the watch that you use to go to the home screen. On the Series 6, any time you are in Now Playing mode for any kind of audio, you can twist the crown to control the volume.
Theater mode controls screen brightness
If you are ever in a location where you need to lower the light or noise from your Apple Watch, the Control Panel now includes a Theater Mode option that enables your watch's silent mode. Activate it to keep the screen dark regardless of alerts or notifications. If your Apple Watch suddenly starts making noise or disrupting a meeting, just cover it with your palm. The Watch will sense this and automatically stop this action, leaving you to carry on in peace.
Wash your hands with confidence
Hand washing has become a critical health protector, and the Apple Watch Series 6, combined with the WatchOS 8, can play an important role. It uses the array of sensors to detect when you are washing your hands -- listening for running water and hand movements, for example -- that initiate a hidden 20-second timer for your handwashing action. If you stop before the 20 seconds are up, the watch sends a quick vibration to signal you to keep going. The 20-second goal is a guideline both the WHO and the CDC agree on.

Read more
What you can (and can’t) do on your Apple Watch without your iPhone
Apple Watch Series 7 in a pocket.

The Apple Watch has seen enormous success. In fact, it’s the most popular item in Apple’s quickly expanding Wearables, Home, and Accessories division, which also includes Apple AirPods.

Since the Apple Watch was released in 2015, the smartwatch has gone through a number of makeovers and gained several new features. People love the Apple Watch for its durability, water resistance, and fitness-tracking abilities. Early versions of the watch could measure your activity levels, heart rate, and several other health metrics. Later versions even come with tools like ECGs (electrocardiograms) that can tell you when your heartbeat is abnormal and oximeters that can measure your blood oxygen levels.

Read more