Image source: Apple

Apple’s GymKit begins worldwide rollout in Australia

Apple and Fitness First have teamed up for the global debut of Gymkit.

The highly anticipated feature enables the Apple Watch to interact with gym equipment via NFC. It comes as part of the watchOS 4.1, along with Apple Music streaming support, a WiFi toggle for manually switching to cellular and a new Apple Radio app.

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Jay Blahnik, Apple’s director of Fitness and Health technologies, was on the ground in Sydney this week for the launch of the first gym equipped for GymKit.

“We wanted to simplify the cardio machine experience and make it more accurate than ever before. With a quick tap on your favourite cardio equipment, you’ll see for the first time, two-way data exchange in real time that will result in the most accurate measurements possible with less device management,” he said in a media statement.

“Now when Apple Watch customers view metrics during their workout, the metrics on the machine match what they see on their wrist.”

GymKit allows users to pair their device directly to treadmills, ellipticals, indoor bikes or stair steppers with a simple tap. This means data such as heart rate, speed, distance, speed and incline will sync, providing more accurate measurements on both ends. After your workout session ends the data is saved to the watch, and the gym equipment is wiped of any personal information.

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Apple has also started partnering with other brands such as LifeFitness, Matrix, Cyber, StairMaster, Schwinn and TechnoGym. For now GymKit only works in that one gym in Australia, but will expand to more countries in the coming months.

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Marko Maslakovic

Marko founded Gadgets & Wearables in 2014, having worked for more than 15 years in the City of London’s financial district. Since then, he has led the company’s charge to become a leading information source on health and fitness gadgets and wearables.

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