Home fitness equipment brand Nautilus is integrating Apple HealthKit into its Bowflex Max Trainer to help customers track their health and reach their fitness goals. 

Set to launch later this month, the Bowflex Max Trainer burns up to two-and-a-half times the calories of other exercise products, and allows users to track their activity via the free Bowflex Max Trainer mobile application that uses Bluetooth technology to transfer workout data. Nautilus believes that connecting digital data and the ability for workout fans to track their progress plays a significant role in boosting motivation and engagement.

?We are dedicated to leveraging tools, such as Apple Health, and engaging consumers to better understand and manage their health and fitness,? said Robert Jacobson, product line manager at Nautilus, Inc., Portland, Ore. ?We have a strong relationship with Apple, which allowed us to foresee the possibilities with the latest Bluetooth Smart technology and ensure we were integrating with new applications to help our customers track their health and reach their fitness goals.?

Convenient syncing
Apple HealthKit?s mobile app provides users the convenience of keeping all health and fitness information on one dashboard with a simple user interface. Consumers who purchase the Bowflex Max Trainer or Nautilus 616 products and sync them with the HealthKit can glance at their data with the tap of a finger.

Available, easy-to-read data on the dashboard includes heart rate, amount of calories burned and distance covered. Nautilus is one of the first fitness equipment companies to partner with HealthKit, and also plans to integrate its new digital fitness and health platforms across all of its equipment that is Bluetooth® Smart enabled.

?This information becomes powerful when it?s collected in one place to give you a clear and current overview of your health, allowing you to make smart decisions throughout the day,? Mr. Jacobson said.

?Not only can our customers track progress, but they can share with friends and family ? creating new ways to celebrate small achievements and staying motivated over the long run to health.?

Tracking workouts
Users of the Bowflex Max Trainer can sync their workout data to MyFitnessPal within the Apple HealthKit, and also have the data automatically sync to Bowflex Connect, Nautilus? free online dashboard designed to display workout results and help users understand the relevance of their results in relation their fitness goals.

Nautilus has seen high levels of success with its digital dashboards, apps and fitness equipment. In the Bowflex Max Trainer?s first nine months after launch, the company saw over 36,000 workouts and nearly 9,000 workout hours logged on the app.

More fitness brands are investing heavily in mobile and showing interest in cross-platform wearables. While Apple HealthKit remains at the forefront of the sector, other Android-friendly companies such as Microsoft are catching up with their own fitness wearables (see story).

?Mobile strategy is critical to our business,? Mr. Jacobson said. ?We anticipated device manufacturers would be relying on this technology, and we?re working hard to integrate with new digital health and fitness platforms to provide users with access to the newest tools, as well as guaranteeing a consistent experience on both Apple and Android? devices.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York