Peloton abandons Apple's GymKit health data sharing platform

Exercise firm Peloton is moving users to its own app instead of Apple's GymKit

In 2020, Peloton announced its then-new Bike+ would pair with the Apple Watch using Apple's GymKit platform. GymKit lets an Apple Watch gather health data from exercise machines, specifically cardio equipment.

Peloton also included it in its Bike Bootcamp, but that combined cardio with strength exercises. Later in 2021, Peloton removed GymKit support from Bike Bootcamp, saying Apple required it to.

Apple said at the time that mixed-focus workouts were not supported on Apple Watch. Instead, if a user wanted to change from a cardio workout to a strength training one, they would have to manually switch workouts within the Fitness app.

In 2022, Peloton launched its own Apple Watch app.

Now as spotted by The Verge, Peloton is transitioning its remaining GymKit users over to its Peloton One-Tap tracking app. The move will begin on February 27, 2024.

However, since new users have been being directed to use Peloton's app since 2022, it's unclear if many people are still on the old system. It appears to be the same story outside of Peloton, too, as few manufacturers have adopted GymKit, and then not on many of their machines.

Apple launched GymKit alongside watchOS 4.1 in October 2017. It appeared first in equipment at a gym in Australia, then one in London, before finally reaching the US in December 2017.