Samsung smartwatches will now be able to directly connect to Peloton fitness equipment, a move that makes the Galaxy device maker’s watches more competitive with the Apple Watch.
An update to the Peloton app for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 launching on Tuesday allows users to connect their watches directly to the Peloton Bike, Bike+, Tread, Row and Guide for the first time. Doing so makes it possible to see your heart rate on the equipment during a workout. Previously, those who owned a Galaxy Watch or other compatible WearOS watches could connect to the Peloton phone app, but the ability to sync with Peloton equipment is new.
To get started, users will need to select a workout on their Peloton machine and open the Peloton app on their watch. A prompt should then appear to connect the two devices, Samsung says.
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The change could help Samsung’s smartwatches further compete with Apple’s. Peloton already offers an integration with the Apple Watch that makes it possible to see heart rate data from the watch on Peloton devices.
Samsung is the second-largest smartwatch vendor globally, according to Counterpoint Research, but Apple holds a long lead. Apple accounted for 43% of global smartwatch shipments in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the research firm, while Samsung was only responsible for 8%.
The announcement also comes after what has been a rough period for Peloton. Although the premium fitness brand boomed during the early period of the pandemic as demand for home workouts surged, it struggled to maintain that growth as people began heading back to the gym.
