Peloton has announced that it's making a change to how its services hook in to Apple Watch data, although it's not one that will necessarily alarm everyone.
Starting 27 February, it will move Apple Watch users over from GymKit to its own Peloton One-Tap tracking.
Gymkit was effectively Apple's first serious tilt at gym metrics, letting its Apple Watch models exchange data in real time with equipment, so it's no surprise that a connected service like Peloton was on board with it.
But by ditching it, Peloton is likely saving a bunch of money that it would have to pay Apple. It has also been passing on at least some of that price to customers in the last few years - GymKit integration has meant an additional monthly fee.
This presumably means the end of that monthly payment, although this doesn't mean everyone's left happy – particularly those who own or are paying off a Peloton Bike+, which for a while was sold with GymKit as a particular USP.
A Reddit thread on the situation is pretty much full of annoyed and disillusioned Peloton users who feel this hasn't been handled very cleanly or transparently.
Peloton launched a new Apple Watch integration in 2022, something that had been long-awaited by many users, and hasn't actually been directing people toward GymKit for some time.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
This integration lets your Apple Watch detect the start of a workout on your Peloton equipment and prompt you to tap to start tracking, so in theory it should work great for most people.
Still, there are some complains of glitchy tracking using Peloton's app, and an experience that falls below the bar set by the GymKit integration, which is able to lean on Apple's own tracking systems rather than a simpler heart rate system.
In theory though, you should get all the same metrics and tracking using either system, so no one will be short-changed in terms of data. However, it might be a little harder to find all of that data, since some of it will now reside in the Peloton app rather than being automatically shared to Health.
Max is T3's Staff Writer for the Tech section – with years of experience reporting on tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having previously flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor.
-
Wahoo Elemnt Ace review: Struggling to keep pace
Promising a colossal screen, advanced navigation, and unique features like a wind sensor, the Wahoo Elemnt Ace aims high but stumbles with poor battery life, a dim display, and a bulky design
By Matt Buckley Published
-
Double O-heaven? Could this hybrid be James Bond's next ride?
Hybrid Aston Martin Valhalla is finally here, and I can't wait to drive it
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
New Peloton rental scheme could save you a bundle (and your waistline)
Rent your Bike+ instead of buying it outright to save money
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Your Peloton is getting a great free upgrade to make workouts more social
Update coming for Peloton Bike, Bike+, Tread, Row and app users
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Peloton app gets a free upgrade that's great even if you don't own a Peloton
Use the app with third-party devices
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Your Peloton Bike gets a great free upgrade that can improve every ride
A new feature starts to appear on Peloton Bikes and Tread that helps you customise your workouts
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Older Peloton Bikes will soon be switched off unless you upgrade
First-gen Pelotons will soon lose access to classes
By Rik Henderson Published
-
I took the Apple Watch Ultra to run the world's oldest ultramarathon
Apple Watch Ultra vs Comrades Ultramarathon – the results are in
By Kieran Alger Published
-
Apple Fitness+ users just got a cool free upgrade Madonna fans will love
The latest artist spotlight series will see Apple Fitness+ trainers dressed up in some of Madonna's most iconic outfits
By Matt Kollat Published
-
The Oura Ring 4 could be getting smarter with new upgrades… but I’m not sold
The next Oura Ring could offer smartphone features after new acquisition
By Bethan Girdler-Maslen Published