IBM Adopts Apple Watch for Company Fitness Initiative

IBM is deepening its investment in Apple platforms with the Apple Watch “Commit to Health” initiative that will offer the Apple Watch to employees as part of their health insurance plan.

Based on the health plan an IBM employee chooses, they can either receive a subsidy that covers the entire cost of the Apple Watch or they can purchase the Apple Watch at a reduced price. IBM is hoping that employees will take advantage of the fitness tracking capabilities included in the Apple Watch in order to stay healthy.

This isn’t the first time IBM has adopted such a strategy. The company had a similar program with Fitbit in the past that allows wearers to accumulate points that could be redeemed for merchandise.

While many companies adopt similar fitness programs, it does appear that the Apple Watch is beginning to help accelerate them given that many people find some of the Apple Watch’s feature beyond health to be interesting. It’s not impossible to imagine this becoming somewhat common in the workplace over the next few years.