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Replacing My Smartwatch

My adventure building a workout app

May 11, 2024 -

As a little side-project, squeezed between my normal work, I have been working on something of personal interest: a native workout tracking app for iOS. I wanted to make my smartwatch obsolete, instead using my phone to track workouts. How hard could it be to gather detailed sensor data using native Swift APIs?

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Early prototype of the app working with Bluetooth heartrate sensor and its early dataset shown in another app that makes some pretty graphs (HealthFit)
Early prototype of the app working with Bluetooth heartrate sensor and its early dataset shown in another app that makes some pretty graphs (HealthFit)
"Goin' the extra mile": 8 hours on my bike to test battery usage (note: there is still 23% power left!)
I got some magic in my pocket: The app tracking workouts from the background - during recordings it just shows a widget on the homescreen
I got some magic in my pocket: The app tracking workouts from the background - during recordings it just shows a widget on the homescreen
Nothing makes you feel alive like going outside for some physical action - I love working out!
Nothing makes you feel alive like going outside for some physical action - I love working out!
Screenshots of the app's onboarding process: asking for permissions and guiding new users
Screenshots of the app's onboarding process: asking for permissions and guiding new users
Testing the app on my bike using a QuadLock case and mount
Testing the app on my bike using a QuadLock case and mount

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AppleBikeCreatingDataDesignLifestyleHeartMinimalProgrammingSensorsSportWatch

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