The Apple Watch comes with a handful of workouts, including cycling. Like on most trackers and smartwatches, this mode is limited to usage of standard bicycles and does not cover e-bikes. A new patent reveals that the iPhone-maker is inventing ways to add support for riding electric bikes in the future.
The built-in electric motor on e-bikes, which provides assisted power, complicates the measurement of ride metrics and user indicators like energy consumption and heart rate by wearable devices. As discovered by Patently Apple, the Cupertino-based company aims to address this issue with a new Apple Watch patent.
How Apple could enable e-bike mode on an Apple Watch
As detailed in the filing, an Apple Watch must first identify when a rider is using an e-bike. Presumably, Apple’s existing Cycling detection technology on the Watch Series and Watch Ultra (review) will be used to determine if a rider is on an e-bike, although user confirmation will likely be needed as well.
Subsequently, the watch must assess energy expenditure by measuring the e-bike’s work rate (WR) based on METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) during the activity. It should also record the user’s other biometric indicators, such as heart rate (HR).
These various values will be combined using a custom fusion model designed specifically for e-bike workouts to calculate more accurate readings. In essence, the adjusted and final data will be displayed on the Apple Watch using familiar metrics and indicators that users can easily comprehend.
Despite the non-complex nature of the involved technologies in the patent, it’s unclear when we could see this feature happening on Apple’s smartwatches for actual use. Nonetheless, we want to know if this mode will be beneficial for you too? Tell us in the comment section.
