Whoop's decision to provide an Arabic option on its platform is part of a broader commitment to the Middle East, its Egyptian-American chief executive Will Ahmed has said.
Arabic has joined English, French, German, Latin American Spanish, European Portuguese and Italian as languages available on the wearable fitness tracker company's app.
Mr Ahmed said the addition of Arabic was meaningful for him.
“My father is Egyptian and immigrated to the United States, and when I was younger I had the fortune of being able to travel with him throughout the Middle East,” he told The National.
“I think the first time I visited the UAE was when I was 14 or 15, and I’ve been coming back to the region ever since.”
He added that the Gulf was “our fastest-growing market globally” and said the company viewed the expansion of wearable use in the region as “a critical footprint for growth”.
“Launching the Whoop experience in Arabic is part of our wider commitment to residents of the GCC, giving native speakers access to personal health insights in the language they use every day,” Mr Ahmed said.
Though some technology companies have struggled to implement the nuances and diversity of Arabic, Mr Ahmed said that Whoop spent a lot of time working closely with Arabic-speaking members to ensure that the launch would be seamless.
“Their feedback helped us identify where we could improve and get the details right,” he said.
The Arabic language option will be rolled out gradually and will be available in the most recent version of the company's app.
Whoop's co-founder also said he viewed the region as quick to embrace the idea that technology can empower people to take care of their health. His Boston-based company shares that vision, he added.
“Our continued commitment to the GCC comes from a deep respect for the leadership in the region and what they’re trying to accomplish,” he said.
On Tuesday, the company announced the launch of the Arabic option with a video posted to its social media accounts showing users throughout the Middle East working out while wearing Whoop devices.
“Yallah!” posted Mr Ahmed as he shared the video.
He launched Whoop in 2012 into a crowded wearable technology market. The company has grown steadily, amassing a loyal following, particularly among professional athletes.
In a recent interview with The National, Dr Ami Bhatt, who joined Whoop as its first chief medical officer in July, said she was encouraged to see that more women across the Middle East were turning to the company's devices as a way to better understand their health.
“Across the GCC, female member growth has increased more than 90 per cent year-over-year, with strong growth across every market we track,” she said.
Her comments about the Middle East echoed the sentiments of Mr Ahmed, who in August said the fitness-tracker company would open a second office in the UAE, calling the move “critical for growth”.
In March, Whoop announced $575 million in funding from a group of international investors led by Abu Dhabi and Qatari sovereign wealth funds.
The Series G round was led by three Gulf investors: Mubadala Investment Company, 2PointZero Group and the Qatar Investment Authority.
Whoop partners with fitness initiatives such as the Dubai Fitness Challenge and Doha Marathon. It also “serves as the official health and performance wearable” of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Al Nassr Football Club.
The company was at the centre of controversy during this year's Australian Open when officials made tennis players, including Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, remove their Whoop devices.
“Data is not steroids,” Mr Ahmed posted on his X account in protest.
In April, Mr Ahmed hailed announcements that Whoops can be worn in the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
