Abstract:

The global fitness app market size was valued at USD 4.4 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2021 to 2028. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in nationwide lockdowns and social distancing norms.

This has led to a transition to virtual fitness from traditional studios and gyms. This, in turn, has increased the downloads and usage of fitness apps. According to an article published in the World Economic Forum in September 2020, the global downloads of fitness and health apps increased by 46%.

This increased usage rate of fitness apps due to a growing trend of online fitness training is driving the market globally. The growing awareness regarding health and wellness is also driving the market.
Over recent years the world has seen a spike in the download and usage of fitness and health apps. In 2014 fitness app usage grew at a substantial rate, being up there as the most used category of application for that year. Since then it has maintained its user base and continues to grow, with the inclusion of wearables like google fit, Fitbit and Healthkit.

This is the dawn of a new era, an era where people look more to their mobiles or their fitness watches to check on their health, rather than the traditional method of going and seeing a doctor. These apps provide a great avenue for those who are interested on tracking their fitness levels runners, cyclists, and gym goers alike.

Everything can be tracked nowadays, even the standard iPhone comes with a health app built in, with a range of features.

There are several highly successful fitness apps on the market, some of these include mapmyrun, mapmyride, and the FitBit app. Both mapmyrun and mapmyride are made by the same group and are simple route trackers for running and cycling. Once your journey is finished the app then gives detailed statistics of the route and calories burned.

The FitBit app is one that I use, it works in tandem with a wearable FitBit watch, which tracks your steps and monitors your heart rate.

But all of these apps although state of the art, have one thing in common, they are jam packed with irrelevant features which take away from the initial idea and distract the user. I for one when working out want a hassle-free interaction with an application, I want to get in there and get it done.