New York, USA – Peloton announced in an email to its users that they will transition Apple Watch users from GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking starting February 27th. GymKit integration was once a perk of Peloton’s more expensive Bike Plus, but the company has now decided to make the switch to its own tracking system.
The company had launched Apple Watch integration in 2022 to bring Apple Watch calorie and heart-rate tracking to any Peloton machine. The recent move to transition users away from GymKit may not affect those who have linked their Peloton to an Apple Watch more recently, and the company has been directing users to only use GymKit if they haven’t installed the latest software updates on their machines.
While Peloton’s app still integrates data from each workout to Apple’s Health app, it will no longer be using Apple’s proprietary fitness equipment API. This means that users can still track distance and pace, and see heart rate metrics on screen, but it’s understandable that those who bought the more expensive Bike Plus for GymKit integration may feel upset about the change.
According to fitness enthusiasts, metrics like calorie burn can vary widely depending on the user and the type of exercise, so changes to the accuracy of the data provided may not be significant. Despite this, some users still enjoy tracking their workouts over time and seeing their aggregated health data on Apple’s Health app — and now the only way to do that will be through Peloton’s app.
The decision to transition Apple Watch users from GymKit to Peloton One-Tap tracking may affect Peloton users who have become accustomed to the previous system. However, the company’s move is not an uncommon one in the continuously evolving fitness technology industry.