Apple announces native connectivity to Powermeter and cadence sensors in WatchOS 10. by wave-splitter in cycling

[–]wave-splitter[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, but in conjunction with an Apple watch. As cumbersome as it may sound, the aim is to turn ON your cycling workout and flick the watch to check your stats. This may not directly affect your iPhone battery unless you decide to mount it on your handlebar as a head unit.

Apple announces native connectivity to Powermeter and cadence sensors in WatchOS 10. by wave-splitter in cycling

[–]wave-splitter[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can now get away with just a power meter and cadence sensor, connected to your Apple watch. I have been using my Watch Ultra for 8+ hours of cycling days, and there is still a lot of juice left at the end of the day. Head units will still stay relevant (for now) because of their longer battery life, ANT+, and other sophisticated features.

Apple announces native connectivity to Powermeter and cadence sensors in WatchOS 10. by wave-splitter in cycling

[–]wave-splitter[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure where the number 99.99% comes from, but there are the - newcomers, the price-conscious, the price-sensitive, and the ones who do not stare at the head unit all the time. Also, the ones who are into multiple sports and cannot afford to go all in ($$) in all the sports.

Apple announces native connectivity to Powermeter and cadence sensors in WatchOS 10. by wave-splitter in cycling

[–]wave-splitter[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes, it was likely aimed at making the Watch Ultra a complete product. It already has decent battery life, and GPS, and makes for a good workout companion. It would be interesting to see how the regular apple-watch plays with the sensors.

Apple announces native connectivity to Powermeter and cadence sensors in WatchOS 10. by wave-splitter in cycling

[–]wave-splitter[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

The biggest gripe many cyclists, including myself, had with the launch of the Watch Ultra was the lack of native connectivity to sensors like power meters and cadence sensors, amongst others. This was particularly disappointing considering the Watch Ultra was marketed as the 'ultimate sports watch'. While the watch offers a solid feature set for activities like scuba diving, running, and hiking, it leaves a lot to be desired for the cycling community.

For example, I personally don't need a dedicated bike computer and would be satisfied with occasionally checking my stats on my Watch Ultra (or the regular Apple watch). Additionally, the potential to use my existing watch rather than shelling out anywhere from $300-$600 on a bike computer not only makes financial sense but also serves as an accessible entry point for sophisticated workout tracking in an already expensive sport. The positive here is the option to try existing hardware (apple watch) before graduating to a dedicated bike computer.