A French health and fitness app, WeWard, supported by tennis icon and angel investor Venus Williams, has launched an innovative new feature designed to encourage physical activity and curb excessive screen time. The new 'Walking Mode' allows users to restrict access to selected applications on their smartphones until they have achieved a pre-determined daily step count.
Users can customise which apps are locked and set their own step goals, for example, choosing to block access to social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram until they complete 3,000 steps. This builds upon WeWard's existing reward system, where users earn 'Wards' – an in-app currency – for logging their steps. These Wards can then be exchanged for cash, gift cards, or charitable donations, with the app also featuring a competitive leaderboard for friendly motivation.
The company, which boasts 30 million users across 29 countries, including a significant presence in the UK, states that its platform has been shown to increase users' walking time by almost 25%. WeWard co-founder Yves Benchimol emphasised the app's focus on promoting healthier real-world behaviours, stating, "We believe the next generation of products should be designed to create healthier behaviors in the real world, not simply capture more attention. Walking Mode is our contribution to that vision, and we hope it inspires a broader conversation about mindful design and how the industry defines success."
In an era of increasing digital dependency, the introduction of screen time reduction features aligns with a growing desire among consumers to manage their phone and social media usage more effectively. WeWard claims that its users typically spend only a few minutes per day within the app itself, which it views as a positive indicator of its non-intrusive design philosophy.
Addressing privacy concerns, WeWard states it does not fund its rewards by collecting and selling user data to third parties. Instead, the company generates revenue through a combination of in-app purchases, affiliate marketing partnerships, premium subscriptions, and advertising. This approach seeks to differentiate it from some other rewards-based applications that have faced scrutiny over their data practices.
The app's novel approach to blending physical activity incentives with digital wellbeing tools could resonate with UK consumers increasingly aware of the impact of sedentary lifestyles and constant connectivity. As discussions around 'mindful design' in technology gain traction, WeWard's 'Walking Mode' presents a practical example of how apps can be engineered to encourage healthier habits rather than simply vying for attention.