New app gives rewards for walking to stay fit

Walk more - and get rewards.

SK Telecom, SK C&C and AIA Korea announced Wednesday they are jointly launching an app that measures the number of steps taken by their customers and rewards them in various ways, including phone bill discounts and cafe coupons.

The app is called “T Walk X AIA Vitality” and will replace the existing AIA Vitality app offered by the Korean branch of the life insurance company. While only AIA customers were able to use that health management app, SK Telecom subscribers will be able to use the new version. It launches on Aug. 24.

The vitality program is a popular health management program originally developed by a South African insurance company, Discovery, in 1997. It spread to other parts of the world through AIA.

In Korea, AIA partnered with SK’s IT service unit SK C&C since November to help the app reflect Koreans’ lifestyle based on big data. SK Telecom joined in for better marketing and promotion.

Users of the app need to earn 250 points in the first week. Then point targets will change based on personal workout patterns over the previous three weeks. Users get 50 points after walking 7,500 steps a day and 100 points after walking 12,500 steps a day.

According to data from American Heart Association, adults walk about 6,000 steps a day. This means people need to walk about 15 more minutes than usual to reach the 50-point target, SK Telecom said in statement.

For customers who achieved weekly missions, SK Telecom will give 3,000 won ($2.65) discounts on their phone bills. The maximum discount per month will be 12,000 won and the promotions will run for six months. Customers who don’t want phone bill discounts can claim a Starbucks coffee coupon, a music streaming coupon on Music Mate platform or a 4,000 won coupon to buy books at Youngpoong Bookstore.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]