Updated
Updated · PR Newswire · Jul 8
WeWard Launches Walking Mode for 30 Million Users, Locking Apps Until 3,000-Step Goals
Updated
Updated · PR Newswire · Jul 8

WeWard Launches Walking Mode for 30 Million Users, Locking Apps Until 3,000-Step Goals

3 articles · Updated · PR Newswire · Jul 8

Summary

  • Starting July 8 at 9 a.m. ET, WeWard rolled out Walking Mode to all 30 million users in 29 countries, letting them block selected apps until they hit a daily step target.
  • Users can set unlock thresholds at 3,000, 5,000, 7,000 steps or higher, choose which apps to restrict, and face an automatic reset at midnight unless they switch the feature off.
  • WeWard said the feature targets both sedentary habits and excessive screen time, extending an app model that it says already lifts users' walking by nearly 25% on average.
  • Founded in 2019 and backed by Venus Williams, WeWard is positioning the launch as proof a consumer app can grow while keeping usage to only a few minutes a day.

Insights

Does rewarding walking with screen time risk turning healthy habits into just another transactional chore?
Can an app truly curb phone addiction, or will users just find clever workarounds to bypass it?
In an economy built on screen time, can a business model that reduces it actually be profitable?