Peloton finally has a Wear OS 3 app

The app may not do much yet, but it’s a move in the right direction for Peloton and Google

While Peloton has long supported the Apple Watch, Wear OS users were left in the cold. Not anymore. The Peloton app is now available for download in the Play Store for Wear OS 3 smartwatches.

The app, which was first spotted by 9to5Google, doesn’t actually do much, though. I downloaded the app onto my Pixel Watch and started a walking workout in The Verge office. I was able to view my heart rate while meandering through cubicles, as well as which heart rate zone I was in. After I ended the workout, I was then able to view a workout summary detailing calories burned, average heart rate, “best” heart rate, and my Strive Score, a heart rate-based metric that Peloton uses to gauge effort. That’s about it.

Also, while Peloton added Apple Watch integration to all its machines earlier this year, it doesn’t seem like that feature is ready for Wear OS 3 yet. I was still prompted to initiate a workout on my smartphone. Conversely, the Peloton app on the Apple Watch will notify users any time they start a class on the Bike, Bike Plus, or Tread.

While the Wear OS app isn’t as advanced as Peloton’s Apple Watch experience, this is still a step in the right direction for both Google and the beleaguered fitness company. One of Wear OS 3’s most significant improvements is a more robust app store. Where Wear OS 2 suffered from infrequently updated apps, Google has convinced some important third-party developers to give Wear OS another shot. That includes apps like Strava, Spotify, and Todoist. And while Peloton hasn’t had the best of times lately, it’s still a recognizable name in connected fitness with a loyal user base. As for Peloton, the Wear OS app makes its digital app-only subscription a more viable option for Android users than it has been.