WatchOS 2 and Fitness Apps

[jphjph]

When I saw the keynote about WatchOS 2 I was really excited by 3 things: Fitness apps using iWatch heart rate sensor, fitness apps writing to Apple activity app, and while running fitness app staying on screen rather than reverting to the watch face.

I am a user of runkeeper and stava, changing as each evolve but neither of these have embraced all 3. I would have thought at launch of WatchOS 2 they would be fighting to be the first. So my question is, is anyone taking advantage of the new functions, and what are people using there days with the iWatch?

 

[TBONE72]

When I saw the keynote about WatchOS 2 I was really excited by 3 things: Fitness apps using iWatch heart rate sensor, fitness apps writing to Apple activity app, and while running fitness app staying on screen rather than reverting to the watch face.

I am a user of runkeeper and stava, changing as each evolve but neither of these have embraced all 3. I would have thought at launch of WatchOS 2 they would be fighting to be the first. So my question is, is anyone taking advantage of the new functions, and what are people using there days with the iWatch?

I've been wondering the same.

 

[thedoc46]

me too. Runtastic is supposed to allow you to use the HR monitor of the watch, but it simply doesn't work.

 

[MBHockey]

Really disappointed too. Runkeeper still hasn't added this functionality.

 

[IW1206MT]

Motifit is working for me. It uses the HR monitor and writes workouts to the health app...

 

[eastamherstbias]

I really wanted a Running app that could work on the watch independently from the iPhone. So far nothing. I thought nike would have been first up.

 

[tomllama]

Strava still doesn't recognize the HRM in the watch. I've got the latest iPhone app downloaded and it still doesn't say it sees the watch HRM. I just checked Strava support and the watch HRM is still in beta testing.

TrainerRoad doesn't see it yet either but I'm waiting to see how things progress.

 

[acosmichippo]

I'm guessing devs just aren't seeing the incentive to work on these features. Will the time and effort they put into it be rewarded by any more purchases? I doubt it. Of course they could always lock the feature behind an in-app purchase, but I think most devs are hesitant to do that, even though it may be justified.

 

[Newtons Apple]

The money must not be there or we would be seeing lots of apps for the watch. Instead we see VERY few so incentive is VERY low.

 

[exxxviii]

Ditto. It seems like the major players like Runkeeper, Strava, MapMyFitness, Nike+, etc. would be heading up the pack. I currently use Runkeeper on some long runs in addition to my Garmin. If RK could read HR data and add that to its other stuff, it could almost replace a Garmin for me. So, for all the other runners in the universe that are happy to run with a phone, building in this integration could bring in more subscribers and probably some paid subscribers.

 

[Julien]

Looks like thew problem is the limited API's. Apple is not allowing GPS mapping coordinates, like their own Workout app. Hopefully Apple will 'wise up' and open up GPS or app makers will find some way to integrate the iPhone App (gathering GPS) and the Watch App.

http://www.cultofmac.com/390994/where-are-all-the-watchos-2-fitness-apps/

 

[aarontsuru]

Looks like thew problem is the limited API's. Apple is not allowing GPS mapping coordinates, like their own Workout app. Hopefully Apple will 'wise up' and open up GPS or app makers will find some way to integrate the iPhone App (gathering GPS) and the Watch App.

http://www.cultofmac.com/390994/where-are-all-the-watchos-2-fitness-apps/

Say whaa? what the hell.

 

[Bob190]

Looks like thew problem is the limited API's. Apple is not allowing GPS mapping coordinates, like their own Workout app. Hopefully Apple will 'wise up' and open up GPS or app makers will find some way to integrate the iPhone App (gathering GPS) and the Watch App.

http://www.cultofmac.com/390994/where-are-all-the-watchos-2-fitness-apps/

Completely ridiculous. I am out as far as using the AW to track my runs .. preordered a TomTom Spark which does optical HR, GPS, and Music.

I fear there will not be a functional running app for the AW .. at least this iteration of it.

It should work like this...

Phone passes a stream of raw GPS coordinates to watch via Bluetooth, watch calculates speed/pace using the GPS data .. Watch uses accelerometer for cadence, optical HRM for HR, timing is also done on watch. End activity on watch, a data file is saved on watch and synced back to phone in a common format (GPX, TCX, FIT) where it can be uploaded to Strava, etc., and synced to the Health app. I don't see why this wouldn't be doable technically, other than Apple won't allow it.