Garmin seems as though it’s in the midst of a major course correction, and 2025 is a pivotal year. As someone who’s been reviewing fitness technology, including the best Garmin watches, for many years, there’s certainly been an increase in dramatic shifts in direction for the company in the past few months.

That’s not to say ‘change’ means ‘bad’: the recently announced Garmin Venu X1 looks like a great watch, but it’s a pivot from the way Garmin has been designing watches up until this point.

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If you’re looking for the best fitness app to download onto your Android phone, you’re probably sick of having people recommend to you Strava. The social run app is ubiquitous, but if you’re not keen to overshare your workouts or don’t base your personality around your weekly 5k jog, you’ll want something different.

Different is what you’ll find in this app. I’ve listed seven apps for runners, gym goers and general health buffs that will help you transform your workout or your fitness. Not all of these are by definition fitness apps, but I wanted to look outside the box to find you more interesting options.

None of these options have been plucked from the ether; they’re either ones I’ve used myself or ones originally recommended to me by other fitness users. So they’re tried and tested.

So let’s find you the next fitness app you’ll want to download onto your Android phone.

1. Google Fit / Health Connect

The most obvious entry for this list is Google Fit, or Google Health Connect as it’ll be called from July 2025.

This is a simple app for Android users that can do things like count your steps and calories burned, chart the exercises you’ve done and monitor your vitals. It’s best used alongside a fitness tracker but you don’t actually need one for it to work.

Lots of Google Fit’s workouts are done automatically, so it’ll track walks or runs you’ve done based solely on the bounce of your phone (though you can manually track a workout if you like).

Health Connect also lets you decide which of your apps can see parts of your fitness data so you can keep track of your health privacy if you’d like.

Google Fit is an app that’s more designed for casual step-counters than hardcore gym buffs, but it’s nice to have either way since it works in the background.

2. AllTrails

I’ve heard more people talk about AllTrails in a holiday context than a fitness one, but the app is useful for people who like the outdoors instead of dingy basement gyms and repetitive treadmill runs.

AllTrails is an outdoors app for hiking, running and cycling, with a large repository of routes.

Using a map, you can browse trails near you by distance, intensity, intended exercise (walk, run etc) and type of track, in order to find something for you. It even tells you conditions on the track based on weather.

And the app has plenty of options, largely because its annals are full of user-suggested routes. I’ve used it in some pretty remote places and never struggled to find somewhere to go, and if you’ll be away from internet you can download trails onto your phone.

AllTrails is really useful as a way to encourage you to get out into nature, and inspire you to go on a run or hike somewhere appealing.

3. Strong

The Google Play store is rife with running apps, but there are options for gym fans too. One of these is the Strong app.

Strong bills itself as being a digital version of a workout notebook, somewhere that you can log everything you did at the gym (or at home). Then, you can see stat overviews and breakdowns over time to see increases in reps, weights and iteration.

You can create workout templates if you want to try a new workout, or follow one you’ve made before to stick to formula.

Unlike some other gym apps, Strong doesn’t try and plan your workout for you, bombarding you with suggestions for weights your gym doesn’t have or has a long queue for. Instead it’s nice and simple as a way to stick to basics.

There is a monthly subscription to use Strong, but it’s a lot cheaper than the aforementioned planning apps. Its $4.99 per month or equivalent.

4. Map My Run

A really handy app for runners who get bored of doing the same route over and over again is Map My Run, owned by Under Armour.

Some readers may have used the Map My Run website, and the key function of this is it lets you plot new running routes. You can drop pins on a map to create a track, work out the distance, adjust legs and so on; it’s really useful for long-distance running and creating new running routes.

The app lets you access these routes on the fly, and also track your runs along them to see how well you did. Like most good running apps it can break down your journey into splits and measure time, elevation, cadence and more in each.

There’s also a social function which lets you browse routes nearby you, so if you don’t want to plan your own 10k you can use someone else’s. The app also has certain running drills, improvement programs and goal tracking functions.

5. Yuka

If you really care about your fitness, it’s not just about how you train your body but what you put into it, and that’s where Yuka comes in.

Yuka is a free health app that you might have already seen people use at grocery stores. You use it to scan barcodes of food and health products to see a breakdown of what’s actually in it.

This doesn’t just echo the health warnings on a box, though, but gives you a rigorous breakdown of what nasty additives are in a product. It also tells you of health benefits of the ingredients if you scan something healthy and can recommend you alternatives if it thinks something better is nearby.

The app has overall ratings of the health benefits of various products, and rankings for the best-rated ones per category.

Using this app you can do a grocery shop and make sure you’re buying the healthiest, or at least not the most unhealthy, version of a product — great for fitness-minded people who don’t want to pollute their body.

6. Runna

There have been a few running apps already on this list, and the final and most hardcore one is Runna. While it’s free to try, you’ll then have to pay a subscription at $19.99 / £15.99 after the initial week-long trial runs out.

Runna is an app that creates running plans for you — you simply tell it what kind of race or distance you’re aiming for (or another kind of fitness goal, like injury recovery or simple maintenance) and it’ll do the rest.

Then, every day, Runna will draft you a schedule of what kind of workout you need to do. Maybe it’ll schedule you in for a short speedy run, or a longer slower run, or a rest day, depending on what your schedule requires.

Like any good running app it’ll also measure your workouts to record them in one place. It also works alongside certain brands of smartwatch with built-in integration.

The pricing may put some people off but Runna is second-to-none for people who seriously want to improve their running.

7. Meetup

While it’s not by definition a fitness app, and may seem an unexpected pick for this list, Meetup is arguably one of best downloads for a specific sector of fitness fans.

If you haven’t heard of it, Meetup is a free social app that lets people host events for hobbies or tasks; think local book clubs, beer tasting groups or social hikers.

This list naturally includes lots of fitness-based activities like run clubs, badminton teams and yoga groups.

So if you’re interested in social fitness or want to find a community to work out, run or cycle with, it’s a great option and well worth a download.

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Once hailed as the future of home workouts, connected fitness equipment is facing a serious identity crisis, and in some cases, a full-blown shutdown.

The latest casualty? JaxJox, the smart home fitness brand that promised a revolution in strength training with its adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells, and sleek app interface. But that slick promise now rings hollow: the company appears to have gone dark, its servers offline, its customer support non-existent.

Owners report their expensive smart weights have lost nearly all functionality, a costly reminder of what happens when your fitness hardware relies on an app that simply stops working.

This isn’t an isolated case. Just days ago, Johnson Health Tech issued a massive (voluntary) recall of 3.84 million Bowflex adjustable dumbbells, citing a serious risk of injury. Over 100 users have already reported being hurt, some with broken bones and concussions.

The recall spans nearly two decades of products sold under Bowflex’s former owner, Nautilus Inc., which itself filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and sold off the brand. Now under new ownership, Bowflex is trying to win back consumer trust, but the damage, much like the dumbbells, might already be done.

So, what’s going on? Why are so many smart fitness brands falling apart just a few years after their pandemic-era peak?

The great connected fitness unravelling

The pandemic created the perfect storm for connected fitness. Gyms were closed, people were stuck at home, and suddenly that pricey piece of smart equipment seemed not just justifiable, but essential. Peloton soared to a $50 billion valuation. Tonal raised hundreds of millions. JaxJox, Hydrow, and others raced to keep up.

Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Gyms are open, supply chains are back to normal, and consumers are no longer willing to commit to expensive hardware plus subscription combos.

Even Peloton, once the poster child of the movement, is shedding staff, outsourcing manufacturing, and repositioning itself as a content company, not a bike brand.

Tonal nearly ran out of cash in 2023 before a last-minute funding round saved it, but only after multiple layoffs and store closures. Hydrow, one of the best rowing machine brands, is still afloat and doing well, but increasingly squeezed by more affordable, more entertaining competitors like Aviron.

Meanwhile, the elephant in the weight room is trust. JaxJox users have learned the hard way that if a company goes under, their “connected” gear quickly becomes disconnected for good.

Not all doom and dumbbells

Still, it’s not all bad news. Some companies are adapting – even thriving.

Apple and Garmin are perfect examples. Fitness is just one part of their larger ecosystems, and their devices work with or without a subscription.

The Apple Watch remains one of the most popular smartwatches globally (although trends aren’t rosy), bolstered by regular feature updates and Fitness+ content.

Garmin watches, meanwhile, cater to endurance athletes and outdoor users with long battery life, offline maps, and metrics that don’t vanish if you cancel your membership. Again, the company did burn itself with the Connect+ launch, but it might turn out to be useful for upcoming wearables.

Lululemon, after a rocky stint with the Mirror smart gym, is now teaming up with Peloton to offer content across platforms, a sign that the future might lie in partnerships and portability, not proprietary gear.

Even WHOOP, known for its wearable health band and performance coaching, has pivoted wisely. Its app and coaching tools remain its main draw, and the company has made progress in offline use, health integrations, and even insurance partnerships.

Not to mention, the latest Whoop MG and Whoop 5.0, as well as the new features announced at the same time as the latest hardware, have been generally well-received.

What happens next?

The golden era of “Netflix for fitness equipment” is over. In its place, we’re seeing a shift back to fundamentals: reliable equipment that works offline, open ecosystems, and apps that enhance the experience without being the experience.

Consumers are savvier now. They want gear that lasts, workouts that don’t disappear if a server goes offline, and fitness tech that doesn’t turn into a paperweight when the funding dries up.

Smart fitness isn’t dead, but it is maturing. The brands that survive this transition will be the ones that respect that truth.

Apple has rolled out the first developer beta of watchOS 26, offering a preview of new capabilities coming to its smartwatch ecosystem. The update focuses on boosting performance, expanding health and fitness tools, improving user interface functionality, and enabling deeper personalization.

The interface in watchOS 26 Beta 1 has undergone backend refinements aimed at smoother screen transitions and more fluid gestures. App interactions are faster, and key actions like checking alerts or launching apps are optimized to reduce input delays.

Apple continues to advance its health monitoring tools in this beta. New metrics include heart rate variability tracking and improved blood oxygen measurements. Sleep analysis now offers more granular breakdowns of sleep stages. These changes are designed to improve the accuracy and depth of health data available to users.

For those focused on physical activity, watchOS 26 adds features like elevation-aware hiking and configurable interval training modes. GPS accuracy has also been refined for activities such as running and cycling. Post-workout data is more detailed, with the Activity app providing expanded summaries.

watchOS 26 Beta 1 delivers enhanced app responsiveness. System-level changes improve app launch speed and interaction consistency. Battery consumption is better managed through optimized background processes, contributing to longer usability between charges.

Users can choose from new watch face designs and complications. These additions allow for greater control over on-screen information. The settings layout has also been streamlined for quicker access to frequently adjusted preferences.

A built-in task manager debuts in watchOS 26, giving users the ability to manage daily to-do lists from their wrist. Calendar functionality has been upgraded, and messaging tools now offer faster dictation and improved input accuracy. These enhancements support more efficient day-to-day interactions.

As with all early software previews, this beta release may include minor bugs and incomplete features. Developers and early adopters are advised to proceed with caution as Apple continues to refine the software.

watchOS 26 Beta 1 lays the groundwork for a more functional and personalized smartwatch experience. The emphasis on seamless interaction, reliable tracking, and expanded customization suggests that Apple is aiming to deliver a more adaptable and intelligent wearable platform when the full version is released later this year.

SAN FRANCISCO, California — Alphabet’s Google, the largest customer of Scale AI, plans to cut ties with Scale after news broke that rival Meta is taking a 49-percent stake in the artificial intelligence (AI) data-labeling startup, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Google had planned to pay Scale AI about $200 million this year for the human-labeled training data that is crucial for developing technology, including the sophisticated AI models that power Gemini, its ChatGPT competitor, one of the sources said.

The search giant already held conversations with several of Scale AI’s rivals this week as it seeks to shift away much of that workload, sources added.

Scale’s loss of significant business comes as Meta takes a big stake in the company, valuing it at $29 billion. Scale was worth $14 billion before the deal.

Scale AI intends to keep its business running while its CEO, Alexandr Wang, along with a few employees, move over to Meta. Since its core business is concentrated around a few customers, it could suffer greatly if it loses key customers like Google.

In a statement, a Scale AI spokesman said its business, which spans work with major companies and governments, remains strong, as it is committed to protecting customer data. The company declined to comment on specifics with Google.

Scale AI raked in $870 million in revenue in 2024, and Google spent some $150 million on Scale AI’s services last year, sources said.

Other major tech companies that are customers of Scale’s, including Microsoft, are also backing away. Elon Musk’s xAI is also looking to exit, one of the sources said. OpenAI decided to pull back from Scale several months ago, according to sources familiar with the matter, though it spends far less money than Google.

Companies that compete with Meta in developing cutting-edge AI models are concerned that doing business with Scale could expose their research priorities and road map to a rival, five sources said. By contracting with Scale AI, customers often share proprietary data as well as prototype products for which Scale’s workers are providing data-labeling services.

With Meta now taking a 49-percent stake, AI companies are concerned that one of their chief rivals could gain knowledge about their business strategy and technical blueprints.

The bulk of Scale AI’s revenue comes from charging generative AI model makers for providing access to a network of human trainers with specialized knowledge. The humans annotate complex datasets that are used to “post-train” AI models, and as AI models have become smarter, the demand for the sophisticated human-provided examples has surged.

Scale also does data-labeling for enterprises like self-driving car companies and the US government, which are likely to stay, according to the sources. But its biggest money-maker is in partnering with generative AI model makers, the sources said.

Google had already sought to diversify its data service providers for more than a year, three of the sources said. But Meta’s moves this week have led Google to seek to move off Scale AI on all its key contracts, the sources added. Because of the way data-labeling contracts are structured, that process could happen quickly, two sources said.

“The Meta-Scale deal marks a turning point,” said Jonathan Siddharth, CEO of Turing, a Scale AI competitor.

Labelbox, another competitor, will “probably generate hundreds of millions of new revenue” by the end of the year from customers fleeing Scale, its CEO, Manu Sharma, told Reuters.

Handshake, a competitor focusing on building a network of PhDs and experts, saw a surge of workload from top AI labs that compete with Meta.

“Our demand has tripled overnight after the news,” said Garrett Lord, CEO at Handshake.

Many AI labs now want to hire in-house data-labelers, which allows their data to remain secure, said Brendan Foody, CEO of Mercor, a startup that in addition to competing directly with Scale AI also builds technology around being able to recruit and vet candidates in an automated way, enabling AI labs to scale up their data labeling operations quickly.

The Meta deal will be a boon for Scale AI’s investors including Accel and Index Ventures, as well as its current and former employees.

Meta is fighting the perception that it may have fallen behind in the AI race after its initial set of Llama 4 large language models released in April fell short of performance expectations.

Kurt Busch Demands a Return to NASCAR’s Gritty Roots, Igniting a War Against Technology

NASCAR, once a sport that packed grandstands with roaring fans, has seen a shift towards screen-based viewership in recent years. The introduction of high-definition broadcasts, in-car cameras, and advanced technology has transformed the way audiences engage with races. However, this evolution has not been without its critics, with veteran driver Kurt Busch leading the charge for a return to NASCAR’s “old-school” charm.

In a recent statement on PRN Live, Busch emphasized the importance of the live fan experience at NASCAR racetracks, highlighting the unique atmosphere and energy that cannot be replicated through screens. Despite the positive aspects that technology has brought to the sport, Busch believes that it has diluted the raw and authentic feel of NASCAR’s roots.

While some embrace the technological advancements, such as the Burn Bar introduced by Prime Video, which provides real-time fuel burn data during races, others, including Busch, express concerns that these innovations are steering NASCAR away from its traditional, blue-collar fan base. The Burn Bar, a game-changing tool that offers insights into race strategies, has divided fans between those craving data-driven analysis and those yearning for the pure thrill of racing.

Busch’s call for an “old-school” NASCAR revival has struck a chord with core fans who miss the visceral experience of being trackside, feeling the thunderous rumble of the cars as they speed by. The tension between embracing technology and preserving the sport’s heritage is palpable, with debates raging on social media about the direction NASCAR should take.

While some, like former champion Jeff Gordon, see the potential benefits of leveraging technology to enhance the fan experience, Busch’s stance underscores the importance of staying true to NASCAR’s origins. As the sport grapples with balancing tradition and innovation, the upcoming races, including the one in Mexico City streamed on Prime Video, will serve as litmus tests for fans’ reception to these changes.

In a sport where speed and adrenaline reign supreme, Kurt Busch’s battle cry for an “old-school” revival is a reminder that sometimes, the best way forward is to look back at where it all began. NASCAR stands at a crossroads, torn between embracing the future and honoring its past, and only time will tell which path it ultimately chooses to follow.