Discovery Declines Support for Apple WatchOS 11's Pause Feature in Vitality Active Rewards

Discovery has announced that it will not integrate the new pause feature in Apple’s WatchOS 11 Health app into its Vitality Active Rewards programme. The pause feature, designed to allow users to temporarily halt their activity streaks due to injury or rest days, will not impact how Vitality Active Rewards are measured on the Apple Watch.

Apple’s upcoming WatchOS 11 introduces a feature that lets users pause their Activity Rings. However, Discovery, which uses the Apple Health app to track Vitality members’ physical activity by linking their Apple Watches to the Discovery app, will not support this feature in its rewards calculations.

Vitality members earn rewards through the Vitality Active Rewards programme by completing weekly goals from Saturday morning to Friday night. Among these rewards is the opportunity to have their Apple Watch fully subsidized if they meet specific health goals and have a Discovery Bank credit card. “As a Vitality Health member, you can fully fund your Apple Watch by achieving all your weekly Vitality Active Rewards exercise goals over a consecutive 24-month period,” Discovery states in its Apple Watch benefit guide.

Despite the pause feature in WatchOS 11, Discovery’s tracking of users’ goals remains unaffected. Karen Johnson, head of Discovery Vitality strategic programmes, confirmed that the pause feature would not allow members to put their Active Rewards goals on hold. “However, once a member achieves a 25-week goal streak, they can earn a rest week on Vitality Active Rewards,” Johnson added.

The pause update in Apple Health is intended for users needing rest due to illness or injury. Vitality users can also take rest days for medical reasons, with adjustments to Active Rewards Goals made on a case-by-case basis by medical professionals.

Discovery Vitality South Africa CEO Dinesh Govender emphasized the challenge of maintaining long-term health habits. To combat the tendency for immediate gratification, Vitality employs a strategy of providing both immediate and long-term rewards. These include micro-rewards such as smoothies and Discovery Miles, and larger rewards like free flights with Discovery Travel.

In 2023, Discovery rewarded its members with 1.44 million coffees and smoothies as micro-rewards for healthy habits. Additionally, members spent 7.42 billion miles earned from behavioral changes. These incentives have helped over 8,000 members achieve exercise goal streaks of 100 days or more, with nearly 2,000 sustaining their habits for over 300 days.

Looking ahead, Discovery will launch the Vitality Fitness platform later in 2024 to further promote physical activity among members. The HealthyFood partnership with Checkers and Sixty60 will begin in September 2024, offering up to 75% back on healthy food items. Currently, Vitality members can get up to 25% back on healthy groceries at Woolworths and Pick n Pay, with Discovery Bank clients receiving up to 75% back. Last year, members benefited from over 70 million healthy food items through this program.

Main Image: Discovery