According to MacRumors, Peloton has announced that it will no longer support Apple’s GymKit for its Bike+ users, opting instead for its own Peloton One-Tap tracking system.
This decision may disappoint some Bike+ owners who valued the GymKit integration as a selling point for the $2,495 exercise bike. However, the impact might be minimal for newer Peloton users who already have their health data synced with the Peloton app, which in turn connects with Apple’s Health app.
The Evolution of Fitness Tracking
Peloton’s move away from GymKit, which was introduced with watchOS 4.1, reflects a broader trend of fitness companies developing proprietary technologies for health data integration. Peloton’s app now performs all the functions that GymKit used to offer, such as tracking distance, pace, and heart rate, and displaying them on Peloton’s equipment screens. The key difference is that Peloton’s system no longer relies on Apple’s GymKit API for data syncing.
User Experience and Future Developments
For existing Peloton Bike+ owners, the shift might seem like a step back from the seamless integration that GymKit provided. However, since Peloton extended Apple Watch integration across all its fitness equipment in 2022, the necessity of GymKit has arguably diminished. Peloton’s strategy appears to be focused on enhancing its own ecosystem, ensuring that users remain engaged with its platform and services.
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