Popular Ski App Slopes Adds Apple Watch Ultra Action Button Support

[MacRumors]

Popular skiing and snowboarding app Slopes over the weekend added support for the Apple Watch Ultra's Action Button, making it one of the few third-party apps with native support for the feature.

Apple Watch Ultra owners can program the Action Button to start a workout using the Slopes app, making it quicker to begin a skiing or snowboarding session. The Slopes app is designed to automatically determine your resort or backcountry location when a workout is started, so all that's needed is to activate the Action Button.

There are a limited number of third-party apps that support the Action Button at this time, and popular titles like Strava have yet to implement support. Apps and features can be launched using Shortcuts, but it is more convenient for users when developers build the feature into their apps.

The Action Button can be customized through the Settings app on the Apple Watch Ultra. It supports several native Apple Watch functions, such as launching a workout, starting the stopwatch, adding a waypoint to the Compass app, starting a dive, activating the flashlight, and launching a user-created Shortcut.

Slopes is available for free from the App Store, but there is a premium subscription or a daypass subscription that is required to unlock all features. The developers behind Slopes are often quick to add new iOS functionality, so the app also offers Live Activity support for the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, widgets, and other features.

Article Link: Popular Ski App Slopes Adds Apple Watch Ultra Action Button Support

 

[nutmac]

Slopes is not a cheap app, so even though my family has been skiing every year, I hesitated. But after trying it out, I can see why it is regarded as the gold standard. At $30-50/year, it is very expensive. I wish the developer would offer discount for loyal subscribers.

 

[everlast3434]

Slopes is not a cheap app, so even though my family has been skiing every year, I hesitated. But after trying it out, I can see why it is regarded as the gold standard. At $30-50/year, it is very expensive. I wish the developer would offer discount for loyal subscribers.

Even at the high end of $50 a year, that’s 4 bucks a month. You think that’s a lot? How much do you think it costs to develop applications? SMH

 

[MorePixels]

All three people who this is relevant for are reported to be “thrilled”

 

[nutmac]

Even at the high end of $50 a year, that’s 4 bucks a month. You think that’s a lot? How much do you think it costs to develop applications? SMH

But the typical ski season is only 4 months long.

 

[skunkworker]

Ski Tracks is my go-to app. It's free, records your stats well and integrates with health/rings. And can work on the watch and record instead of the phone.

 

[Exile714]

If this is going to be the norm, we need a way to quickly and easily change the action button, or better make it context sensitive - maybe based on the app you're in, or the face you're using?

 

[LimeLite]

If this is going to be the norm, we need a way to quickly and easily change the action button, or better make it context sensitive - maybe based on the app you're in, or the face you're using?

I think a simple solution is for it to at least be customizable as part of Focus modes

 

[Darth-Kylie]

But the typical ski season is only 4 months long.

So its relevance to the world is short-lived and niche? Whereas the developer needs food on their table for a full 365 days per year.

 

[Cheesehead Dave]

Slopes is not a cheap app, so even though my family has been skiing every year, I hesitated. But after trying it out, I can see why it is regarded as the gold standard. At $30-50/year, it is very expensive. I wish the developer would offer discount for loyal subscribers.

It depends on how often you ski as well. I can't justify the $30/year, but the developer cleverly added a $4 day pass so they'll still get money out of me for using the app.

I think there's a $25 Black Friday sale going on now as well.

 

[cateye]

All three people who this is relevant for are reported to be “thrilled”

Where I am in the United States, I have a half-dozen ski resorts within a 3 hour drive, one as close as 45 minutes away. From December to April, they're swarmed with *tens of thousands* of people from all over Colorado, and the world. The main interstate highway out of Denver heading west into the mountains is a parking lot every Friday heading out of town and every Sunday heading back into town. Winter sports, including skiing, is one of the main draws of living in state with 58 peaks over 14,000 feet and uncountable mountains over 10,000.

Like scuba diving, which Apple has targeted heavily with the Ultra, skiing requires training and a lot of expensive, specialized equipment. Both of which you'd think would be natural barriers to a lot of people picking up the sport. And yet... they're both incredibly popular. So a specialized app for skiers doesn't surprise me in the least, any more so than Apple's fancy bespoke scuba app does.

 

[br403]

Slopes is not a cheap app, so even though my family has been skiing every year, I hesitated. But after trying it out, I can see why it is regarded as the gold standard. At $30-50/year, it is very expensive. I wish the developer would offer discount for loyal subscribers.

But you don´t need the premium feature for tracking, it is just an addition.

 

[Superdrive]

Does anyone use their watch and wish for an extra button? I’m still not understanding the logic in adding an action button to the watch.

 

[gadgetfreak98]

Does anyone use their watch and wish for an extra button? I’m still not understanding the logic in adding an action button to the watch.

I have enjoyed the action button for several key purposes since purchasing this watch. In particular, I run marathons and being able to easily get the GPS proactively locked in with the first push and then accurately starting the actual timing with a second button push is great. Of course, that can all be done with screen swipes and presses, etc, but particularly if it’s cold or wet and I’m wearing gloves, there’s no replacement for a physical button.

You may not have such use cases, but for me it’s been a nice upgrade from my Series 7’s interface.

 

[ctdonath]

Does anyone use their watch and wish for an extra button? I’m still not understanding the logic in adding an action button to the watch.

I very much want the button to mark a location and add it to a list of "interesting place to investigate later". Often I'll drive by someplace momentarily notable but have no time to stop and check it out or otherwise take notes about it because I'm driving. Am concerned that it's not quite supported for that purpose yet (not really a "waypoint" or other advertised use) but at least the hardware is there and maybe I can write an app to do what I want. Point is I need a brain-dead simple physical UI.

 

[Superdrive]

<snip>

<snip>

Thank you both for the replies. On my runs, I typically start a workout and forget until the end. I could see using both of your scenarios myself.

 

[randyhudson]

Even at the high end of $50 a year, that’s 4 bucks a month. You think that’s a lot? How much do you think it costs to develop applications? SMH

Almost nothing compared to what this developer is charging. There are free apps like Snoww with the same or more functionality. It’s no small coincidence that the most expensive app is also an Apple editor’s choice.

 

[MorePixels]

Where I am in the United States, I have a half-dozen ski resorts within a 3 hour drive, one as close as 45 minutes away. From December to April, they're swarmed with *tens of thousands* of people from all over Colorado, and the world. The main interstate highway out of Denver heading west into the mountains is a parking lot every Friday heading out of town and every Sunday heading back into town. Winter sports, including skiing, is one of the main draws of living in state with 58 peaks over 14,000 feet and uncountable mountains over 10,000.

Like scuba diving, which Apple has targeted heavily with the Ultra, skiing requires training and a lot of expensive, specialized equipment. Both of which you'd think would be natural barriers to a lot of people picking up the sport. And yet... they're both incredibly popular. So a specialized app for skiers doesn't surprise me in the least, any more so than Apple's fancy bespoke scuba app does.

All three people who you described in your summation of the United States & the "ski resorts within a 3hour drive & as close as 45 minutes away", & own the ultra are now reported to be "ultra thrilled™"