Apple Employees Begin Receiving Rewards for 'Close Your Rings' Internal Challenge

[MacRumors]

In February, Apple updated its website with a new section explaining the advantages of closing the Apple Watch's three Activity rings. At the same time, the company kicked off an internal challenge for its employees that tasked them with closing their Move, Exercise, and Stand rings every day for the entire month.

Images via Reddit user utopicunicornn​

Those who managed this feat have now begun receiving their rewards, and posting shots of the loot on Reddit. Included in the gift is a card that congratulates employees on achieving their personal Activity ring goals for an entire month, along with an exclusive all-black Woven Nylon band that has a hint of the Activity ring's blue/green/red color scheme on the band fastener.

This was the second "Close Your Rings" fitness challenge for company employees, with the rewards last year including an Activity rings pin and a matching T-shirt. For the 2018 challenge, eBay users have already begun taking advantage of the Woven Nylon band's exclusive status, with Buy-it-Now prices going as high as $250-$350 at the time of writing. Apple sells Woven Nylon bands for $50.

Besides internal challenges, Apple frequently launches public Activity challenges on Apple Watch, with recent ones focused on International Women's Day, Heart Month, and the New Year.

Article Link: Apple Employees Begin Receiving Rewards for 'Close Your Rings' Internal Challenge

 

[now i see it]

We created a lifestyle that promotes sedentary unhealthy habits and posture, then we created a device to encourage you not to do that.

 

[tkukoc]

Congrat's to those who accomplished the feat.. crazy people pay that much for a regular watch band with a dab of color attached though. But people like what they like I guess.

 

[justperry]

For the 2018 challenge, eBay users have already begun taking advantage of the Woven Nylon band's exclusive status, with Buy-it-Now prices going as high as $250-$350 at the time of writing. Apple sells Woven Nylon bands for $50.

Hahaha...haha..ha....can't stop laughing.(Bolded part)

 

[duervo]

Hahaha...haha..ha....can't stop laughing.(Bolded part)

If I worked at Apple and got one of them, I’d sell it on eBay too. In a world where leather bags sell for thousands of dollars, it’s not surprising there would be people willing to pay up to $350 USD for a nylon watch band. If anything, I’m more inclined to be surprised that they aren’t fetching a higher price.

 

[sc0rch3d]

I work for a Fortune 100 company (not Apple) and this device thing is catching on very quickly. Our company formerly gave us some insurance discounts as long as we had a yearly physical. They have now traded that for fitness challenges (for example, log 30min of exercise for 50 different days in a quarter) and health coaching to earn HSA dollars. In the end, it's a better value. I find, when it comes to health, you're more likely to motivate people with a carrot rather than a whip.

I'm already a runner but my Apple Watch has motivated me to be more active than I already was.

 

[Biff...]

Its amazing what the desire to close the 3 rings can motivate people to do, for me its a daily physical need that needs to be done. I can't imagine what adding rewards to the equation would do.

 

[tl01]

I want! Wish we could get little loops like that tri color loop to add to our bands. That would be fun!!

 

[QCassidy352]

The rings are probably the least appealing aspect of an Apple Watch to me. It blows my mind that people want a device to beep at them to stand, move, etc. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that could be more annoying from a piece of technology.

 

[justperry]

If I worked at Apple and got one of them, I’d sell it on eBay too. In a world where leather bags sell for thousands of dollars, it’s not surprising there would be people willing to pay up to $350 USD for a nylon watch band. If anything, I’m more inclined to be surprised that they aren’t fetching a higher price.

It's just my opinion, just insanity that people pay that much for a few square cm/inch of coloured cloth.
I can see why people pay for gold/diamonds amongst other valuable materials, just not this.
Yeah-yeah, I know, somewhere in the distance future this item will most likely fetch $1000's.

 

[44267547]

The rings are probably the least appealing aspect of an Apple Watch to me. It blows my mind that people want a device to beep at them to stand, move, etc. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that could be more annoying from a piece of technology.

I disagree. I think the Apple Watch serves as a reminder to maintain your goals and to not allow yourself to become complacent for your workout regiment. I can understand you’re annoyed by the reminders, for many, that’s the purpose of the reminders is to motivate them somewhat to keep the mindset they neeed to move when they necessarily don’t want to.

 

[imola.zhp]

My first AW came with a woven band, I did not care for it. Again they have chosen a woven band over silicon which my household prefers.

 

[Biff...]

The rings are probably the least appealing aspect of an Apple Watch to me. It blows my mind that people want a device to beep at them to stand, move, etc. I’m hard pressed to think of anything that could be more annoying from a piece of technology.

It is not about the beep, or reminders- I turn those off. For me its about the sense of accomplishment, seeing those rings closed stands for one more accomplishment I achieved for that day. I know its a small thing, but so far I've managed to exploit it for all its worth and have workout consistently for the last 6 months, lost 25 pounds.

 

[tl01]

My first AW came with a woven band, I did not care for it. Again they have chosen a woven band over silicon which my household prefers.

Do you work for Apple? Otherwise it doesn’t matter. We don’t get the reward.

 

[imola.zhp]

Do you work for Apple? Otherwise it doesn’t matter. We don’t get the reward.

Right... I was discussing how we do not care for the woven bands. So people paying crazy money for them for their "exclusivity" is a bit funny to me.

Is this not a place for discussion?

 

[Shirasaki]

I love using woven nylon band. But I don’t feel exciting when seeing such “exclusive” wolves nylon band. You know what? People with skills and tools can make one of such with different band color choices.

I have seen crazy people spending thousands of hundreds of dollars on a game. $350 for a band is like nothing.

Btw, has Apple figured out what a black color is, or more precisely, space grey is for this watch band?

 

[mikedop]

If anyone is coming to this thread looking for more insight into the Close Your Rings challenge, I've posted a detailed history of the challenge here, including pictures.

A Detailed Look at Apple's Wellness Challenges

I've tried to compile the most details on this challenge as I could. Hopefully it's helpful to someone else.

Thanks for looking!