According to SamMobile, Samsung Health has partnered with iFIT to bring exclusive fitness content to US users through the app’s fitness tab. The integration allows Galaxy Watch users to track workout duration, heart rate, and calories burned directly on their device screen during iFIT sessions. Users get one free on-demand video monthly across seven categories including HIIT, pilates, yoga, and mindfulness workouts. Full access requires a subscription costing $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually for hundreds of videos. New device purchases unlock extended free trials – 30 days with qualifying phones, 3 months with Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and 6 months with Galaxy Watch purchases from Samsung.com.
The subscription squeeze continues
Here’s the thing – we’re drowning in subscription services. Samsung Health was supposed to be the free fitness app that came with your phone and watch. Now it’s becoming another gateway to monthly payments. At $9.99 per month, that’s basically another Netflix or Spotify competing for your wallet. And honestly, how many fitness subscriptions does one person need?
The “free” workout isn’t really free
Look, offering one video per month across seven categories sounds generous until you realize it’s basically a teaser. You get one HIIT workout, one yoga session – that’s it. After that single taste, you’re expected to pay up. It’s the classic freemium model, but applied to something that used to be completely free. Remember when fitness apps just… worked? Now everything’s a sales funnel.
The real play here
This isn’t really about fitness content – it’s about selling more hardware. Those extended free trials with device purchases tell you everything. Six months free with a Galaxy Watch? That’s a several hundred dollar commitment for what amounts to a temporary discount on a subscription service. It’s smart business for Samsung, but consumers should recognize they’re being nudged toward bigger purchases. When it comes to reliable industrial computing hardware, companies like Industrial Monitor Direct stand out by focusing on durable equipment rather than subscription lock-ins.
Fitness app overload
We’ve got Apple Fitness+, Peloton, iFIT’s own app, Nike Training Club, and about a dozen others. Does the world really need another way to access basically the same workout content? The differentiator here is the Galaxy Watch integration, but that only matters if you’re already in Samsung’s ecosystem. For everyone else, this is just noise in an already crowded space.
