Peloton’s Transition from Apple GymKit to Peloton One-Tap Tracking: A New Era for Apple Watch Users

Peloton, the popular fitness technology company, has recently announced that it will be transitioning from Apple GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking for Apple Watch users, starting February 27th, 2024. This change comes after Peloton introduced an Apple Watch integration in 2022, which brought Apple Watch calorie and heart-rate tracking to any Peloton machine.

The email sent to Peloton users on February 12th, 2024, revealed this upcoming change. Although GymKit integration was once marketed as an exclusive perk of Peloton’s more expensive Bike Plus, it has become less significant in recent years. The company has been directing users to only use GymKit if they haven’t installed the latest software updates on their machines.

The transition from GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking is not a drastic change for most Peloton users. Both Peloton’s app and GymKit integrate data from each workout to Apple’s Health app. Users can still track distance, pace, and see their heart rate metrics on screen. However, Peloton’s app no longer uses Apple’s proprietary fitness equipment API, which may cause some concerns for users who bought the more expensive Bike Plus for GymKit integration.

Metrics like calorie burn can vary widely depending on the user and the type of exercise. Even though users can input their weight, gender, activity level, and other variables that affect the number of calories burned, wearables like the Apple Watch are providing an educated guess, at best. Nevertheless, some fitness enthusiasts still enjoy tracking their workouts over time and seeing their aggregated health data on Apple’s Health app. With this change, the only way to do that will be through Peloton’s app.

The accuracy of the data provided by wearables like the Apple Watch is a topic of ongoing debate. Victoria Song, a fitness technology expert, explains that metrics like calorie burn can vary widely depending on the user and the type of exercise. Even though users can input their weight, gender, activity level, and other variables that affect the number of calories burned, wearables like the Apple Watch are providing an educated guess, at best.

Despite the potential inaccuracies, many fitness enthusiasts still value the ability to track their workouts and see their health data aggregated over time. With this change, Peloton users will need to rely on Peloton’s app to access this information.

The email sent to Peloton users also mentioned that Peloton’s app integrates data from each workout to Apple’s Health app. Users can still track distance, pace, and see their heart rate metrics on screen. However, it’s important to note that the data provided by Peloton’s app may not be identical to the data provided by GymKit. This discrepancy could lead to confusion for some users.

Peloton’s email to customers also mentioned that the company has been directing users to only use GymKit if they haven’t installed the latest software updates on their machines. This suggests that Peloton may be phasing out GymKit integration altogether. However, Peloton has not made any official statements regarding the future of GymKit integration.

The change from GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking may not be significant for most Peloton users. However, it could be a disappointment for users who bought the more expensive Bike Plus specifically for GymKit integration. These users may feel that they have been misled by Peloton’s marketing materials, which once emphasized GymKit integration as a unique selling point.

In conclusion, Peloton’s transition from Apple GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking is a significant change for Apple Watch users. While both Peloton’s app and GymKit integrate data from each workout to Apple’s Health app, the change could lead to discrepancies in the data provided. Additionally, users who bought the more expensive Bike Plus specifically for GymKit integration may feel disappointed by this change.

Peloton has not made any official statements regarding the future of GymKit integration. However, the email sent to users suggests that the company may be phasing it out altogether. Regardless, Peloton users will need to rely on Peloton’s app to access their workout data and aggregated health information moving forward.

As fitness technology continues to evolve, companies like Peloton will need to adapt to changing user needs and preferences. The transition from GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking is just one example of how Peloton is adapting to the changing landscape of fitness technology. Only time will tell how this change will impact Peloton users and the fitness technology industry as a whole.