Since the Health app first hit iOS in its eighth iteration many have found it lacking in usefulness.
Though it’s a pretty decent step counter, and can pull in stats from other apps, the majority of the time will still be spent in those other apps which can do as much, if not more than the Health app.
However, we’ve just seen a new app hit the App Store that not only uses the Health app to enhance its gaming experience, but is also one of the first wave of games available for the Apple Watch.
It’s called Dream Gym, and it calculates the number of steps a person takes each day, translating the activity into in-game rewards.
It’s a free app too – and while it’s available for use with the iPad and iPhone now, the Watch version is impending.
The game itself is a 3D simulation game which, as the name suggests, lets the user build a perfect gym from scratch. The idea is to take your small gym and build it into a massive fitness franchise, taking on new clients to progress.
It features avatars of gym-goers, and as you train them to peak physical condition, you’ll be rewarded for your services and be able to start building up that dream gym.
The progression of these avatars is merged with a users own activity to create a rich app that blurs the real-world with the virtual. The idea is to continue this merging, says CEO of Tatem Games – the app’s developer – Igor Karev: “As we prepare for the launch of the Apple Watch and Android versions, we want to start adding real-world partners into the game so that players can actually buy exercise equipment, workout apparel or subscribe to a fitness magazine from within the game.”
More will be revealed on Watch collaboration in a forthcoming update, but for now check out the game which is available now on the App Store.