One of the selling points of the novelty of Peloton Bike + was the integration of GymKit with the Apple Watch for easier and more accurate training recording. Now, it looks like Peloton has recently removed GymKit support for its bootcamps, limiting Apple Watch integration to just cycling classes.
The news was first seen ConnectTheWatts. The report contains a screenshot of an Instagram comment, in which a user complains that Peloton suddenly disables GymKit classes for Bike Bootcamp, which combine strength training with cycling in a single workout. (And it’s a smart use of the Bike + rotating screen). Peloton officially responded to the comment saying, “Apple GymKit will only be compatible with our cycling classes. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to supporting Apple GymKit for additional class types in the future.”
A Peloton spokesman also confirmed to Gizmodo that “GymKit functionality will only be available in cycling classes for now.”
GymKit is an Apple platform that allows the Apple Watch to automatically sync with fitness equipment. Introduced with watchOS 4 in 2017, you might find it if your gym has newer cardiovascular machines equipped with NFC. The way it works is to touch your Apple Watch on the machine and it will automatically share your heart rate data. Another advantage is that the cardio machine (e.g., treadmills, bicycles, etc.) will synchronize the most accurate pace and distance data with the clock. The fact is that GymKit only works with one unique cardio machine for a single workout at a given time. To make use of the capacity of the Apple Watch to keep track of mixed training, you should give up using GymKit.
Peloton silently reduces support for a canopy function is … interesting to say the least. You could interpret it as beef, as Apple has become a serious competitor since it launched its own on-demand training service, Fitness +. There’s also the fact that Peloton has made intriguing acquisitions lately. In late 2020, Peloton acquired three start-ups of fitness and AI and connected equipment, including the Wearables Atlas. Atlas Wearables is notable because it was in the process of launching its own physical crawler and had created a giant database of exercise algorithms. When this news was made public, speculation was stimulated that perhaps Peloton was reflecting on developing his own smartwatch or fitness tracker. There’s no hard testing, but these acquisitions, in addition to reducing support for the Apple Watch just before the annual Peloton Homecoming event, are a suspiciously convenient time, especially since the Peloton event. page he mocks “big news.”
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As delicious as the idea would be for Peloton and Apple to do so, it might not be what is at stake here. Peloton users have entered subreddits and other social media about GymKit’s poor connectivity in recent months. You should also keep in mind that the Apple Watch is not good for tracking mixed workouts, which is exactly what Peloton’s Bike Boot Boot classes are. (There is also a subreddit of users wondering what Apple Watch workouts will even be used for these classes.) Removing GymKit support for anything other than walking could be a matter of technical practicality. After all, Peloton has received some heat massive shipping delays during the pandemic. The last thing you want is to offer a minimal experience after customers have waited a long time to get the Bike +.
Still, the fact that Peloton did it quietly is disappointing. Many people have cited GymKit and Apple Watch compatibility as reason Because they bought or updated to Bike +. This kind of surprise upgrade is annoying, especially because buying an Apple Watch and Peloton is not a small purchase. Even if removing support for Bootcamp workouts is an effort to improve the overall experience, it is incuHe promised that companies would disclose it to consumers before they decided to sink hundreds or thousands of dollars for expensive material.
Updated, 14/04/2021, 13:05: More context has been added about GymKit is limited to cardio machines and individual workouts.