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Garmin Fit App Turns iPhone, Android Smartphones into GPS Cycling Computer

garmin fit iPhone and android gps cycling computer and running workout app
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garmin fit iPhone and android gps cycling computer and running workout app

Garmin has just announced their new Garmin Fit app for the iPhone and Android-based smartphones.

The app is just 99¢ on iTunes and tracks metrics like speed, pace, distance, time and (estimated) calories all on its own. Add their ANT+ dongle ($49.99) and it’ll capture data from their heart rate monitors and speed/cadence sensors. It maps and can automatically upload your ride data to their Garmin Connect.

“Garmin Fit is the ideal solution for users who are new to the fitness tracking landscape and for those looking to stay totally connected,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “To be able to utilize Garmin’s powerful fitness accessories with the same device that plays music, makes calls and uploads workouts automatically to share and analyze, makes Garmin Fit a must have app.”

Yep, you can play your music and take a call while the app is doing its business, even text message. It should work even stuffed in a jersey pocket or hydration pack if you’re not keen on sticking a $300 iDevice to your handlebar. That last bit is why it may not totally kill the market for their dedicated (waterproof, durable, compact) GPS cycling computers. That, and there’s no mention of Power Measurement at present. Hopefully that’s just an update away.

Screenshots and more details after the break…

garmin fit iPhone and android gps cycling computer and running workout app

The app will show the last 30 days of activity from your Garmin Connect account.

garmin fit iPhone and android gps cycling computer and running workout app

Following completion of the workout, you can name it and it’ll upload. This last bit is perhaps the true killer app: there’s no longer a need for you to hook anything up to your computer or download data or a program. Everything should just auto-upload to Garmin’s “cloud”.

garmin fit iPhone and android gps cycling computer and running workout app

Data on each bout of exercise is available for quick review.

garmin fit iPhone and android gps cycling computer and running workout app

Now there will be one more reason to be buried in your own little iWorld at the coffee shop post ride.

Oh, and if you’re into running, it’ll work with their Foot Pod to track steps and such. If you’re into that.

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pete
pete
12 years ago

i gave the app a try on my last ride, an out-and-back with a dinner break thrown in the middle. to make a long story short, it failed to properly log the ride. it indicated the correct ride time of 1h33m yet the distance was all off with it just recording 0.70 miles (true mileage was 20.2 miles) and avg speed of 0.9 mph… not even close, garmin… at the moment, the strava iPhone app is superior to garmin fit in almost every way – UI, reporting, website. i’ll give it another try after they update it but for now it’ll be relegated.

breadandbits
breadandbits
12 years ago

google’s own my tracks app on android does most of this (just not the ant+ stuff) efficiently and reliably, together with a very open and extensible data sharing setup (sending rides as google maps, spreadsheets, saving to various map filetypes, etc.).

Scott Wiliams
Scott Wiliams
12 years ago

so its the same as Endomondo….but not quite as good and it isn’t free.

Rob
Rob
12 years ago

I use Endomondo, a free app for Android/Blackberry/Apple/Windows phones which does everything this one does, but it’s free! I’ve been out MTBing with a friend who has a proper Garmin and Endomondo is always within a kilometer of his GPS, so the accuracy is there.

It also lets others follow you on their computer at home, and even send you messages which your phone then reads out to you whilst your riding! I know i sound like a FanBoy here, but it really is a great tool…

Jake
Jake
12 years ago

Yea, Endomondo is the way to go right now. Although getting a text in the midst of riding from a friend, “Pedal fat-boy, pedal” was interesting.

anon
anon
12 years ago

so we develop on all different types of phones here at my work. I’ve had a ton of android/iphone/ and even BB’s. I can tell you right now if you ride anything other than street with line of sight views to all the satellites none of the phones are that accurate. For example, if you mountain bike under a lot of tree’s and what not in hilly terrain good luck. It also depends on the gps receiver built into the phone. So far the best one i’ve used as far as the receiver goes is the motorola atrix, and samsung galaxy. The iphone receiver sucked, the bb receiver sucked.

If it wasn’t for the receivers, then yes endmondo and my tracks are great FREE apps. Just not accurate if you don’t have a direct line of sight. This garmin app accuracy is going to be just like the rest (cept they will charge you)..

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