In the early days of the 2020 lockdowns, as the world grappled with the unfamiliar landscape of our 'new normal' with the COVID-19 lockdowns, we at Add Jam found ourselves pondering a unique challenge. The UK government had implemented strict guidelines, limiting outdoor exercise to once per day. In response, we swiftly developed a simple React Native mobile app called "One Walk A Day" to help people track their daily outings and comply with these new rules.
Fast forward four years, and we're thrilled on two fronts:
- Firstly, we're no longer living under lockdown restrictions
- Secondly we're announcing the reimagining of One Walk A Day.
What began as a quick solution has now been transformed into a friendly, useful health and wellness companion. The app has entirely been redeveloped from the ground up using SwiftUI. Let's take a 'stroll' through the evolution of this app and explore how hope it can help people live healthier lives.
From necessity to forming healthy habits
The original One Walk A Day app was born out of necessity. Developed in just one day using React Native, it served a singular purpose: to help users track and timestamp their daily walk, providing proof of compliance with government guidelines if needed.
Today, the concept has evolved dramatically. Our new SwiftUI app transforms the simple act of daily walking into a powerful tool for improving mental and physical well-being. It's no longer about restrictions; it's about empowerment and building life-changing habits.
Key features of the new One Walk A Day
1. Daily walk tracking
The core functionality remains, but with enhanced capabilities. Users can now track not just the occurrence of their walk, but also detailed metrics about each outing.
2. Motivating challenges
To keep users engaged and push their boundaries, we've introduced daily challenges. These gamified elements add an extra layer of motivation to your walking routine.
3. Customisable reminders
Life can get busy, so we've implemented a flexible notification system. Users can set personalised reminders ensuring they never miss a day.
4. In-Depth stats & insights
For those who love data, our comprehensive statistics provide a clear picture of progress over time. Track overall distance, duration, and celebrate personal bests.
5. Streak tracking
Building habits is all about consistency. Our streak tracking feature helps users build momentum and stay motivated by visualising their ongoing commitment.
6. Detailed walk history
Users can now access their complete walking history, allowing for reflection on progress and identification of patterns in their routine.
7. Per-walk analytics & graphs
Each walk now comes with its own set of detailed stats and graphs. Analyse pace, distance, and route to optimise your walking routine and track improvement.
Privacy-focused approach
In an age where data privacy is paramount, we've ensured that all walking data is stored securely on the user's device. Your fitness journey remains private and under your control.
The only tracking going on is your walks - this is data you (and only you) can see in the app.
The technology behind One Walk a Day
While our original app was built using React Native, we've made the switch to SwiftUI for this new version. This decision allows us to leverage the latest iOS technologies and provide a smooth, native experience for our users.
The shift from React Native to SwiftUI has been a fun learning curve for the team. SwiftUI has a lot of promise and has came a long way in a relatively short space of time. We've got some more ideas bubbling away from apps using SwiftUI targeting the Apple ecosystem.
Looking ahead
The journey of One Walk A Day is now over 4 years old but is far from over. We're excited about the potential impact this app can have on people's lives, transforming a simple daily walk into a cornerstone of health and well-being. In future posts, we'll take a deeper into the development process, exploring the challenges and triumphs of building this app with SwiftUI.
Our roadmap for the app is to leverage some of the 'native' features of the iOS platform such as widgets, live activities and maybe even looking at a WatchOS app.
We invite you to join us on this journey. Download One Walk A Day from the App Store and take that first step towards a healthier, more active life. Whether you're just starting your fitness journey or looking to enhance your existing routine, One Walk A Day is here to support and motivate you every step of the way.
Stay tuned for more insights into the development of One Walk A Day, where we'll share our experiences with SwiftUI and the process of evolving a simple concept into a feature-rich health companion.
Remember, every journey begins with a single step. Why not make that step today with One Walk A Day?
