Apple Brings GymKit to iPhone in iOS 27 as AirPods Pro 3 Add Heart-Rate Sync
Updated
Updated · Engadget · Sep 10
Apple Brings GymKit to iPhone in iOS 27 as AirPods Pro 3 Add Heart-Rate Sync
3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Sep 10
Summary
iOS 27 lets users tap an iPhone to GymKit-enabled cardio machines, shifting workout syncing beyond the Apple Watch for treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and stair steppers.
AirPods Pro 3 supply live heart-rate data while the iPhone acts as the workout screen and record-keeper, with machine metrics flowing into Apple’s Fitness app.
The expansion does not widen hardware compatibility: machines still need GymKit integration, and as described, iPhone connections to supported machines require AirPods Pro 3 for heart-rate tracking.
GymKit, introduced in 2017, has struggled because compatible equipment is scarce and replacement cycles are slow, leaving the Apple Watch the more convenient option despite the new fallback.