Wahoo Fitness Responds to Apple's 'Smart Bike' Patent Application and Announces Timing for Product Shipments

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fisica Sensor Key

the news about Apple’s patent application couldn’t have come at a better time

Gainesville, GA (PRWEB) August 10, 2010

On the heels of news about Apple’s filing for a patent covering a smart bicycle system that has seemingly similar features to those that can be achieved with fisica, Wahoo Fitness today announced it expects to begin fulfilling pre-orders within the next two weeks of its wireless sports sensors and its fisica Sensor Key. This revolutionary ANT+ enabled device allows Apple’s popular iPhone and iPod touch to communicate with any ANT+ compatible sensor including heart rate sensors, stride sensors, speed and cadence sensors, power meters and weight scales. It is a major benchmark for Wahoo Fitness and culminates a year’s development effort in collaboration with Dynastream and their ANT+ technology, Apple and other partners.

“We couldn’t be happier to finally have product in our hands… our App partners have been pushing hard for this and our pre-order customers are anxious to start using the product,” says Chip Hawkins, Wahoo Fitness CEO. “And, the news about Apple’s patent application couldn’t have come at a better time,” says Hawkins. “For a long time, we’ve been telling anyone that will listen about the virtues of having access to a variety of sensor information on a smartphone but when Apple says it people tend to be more receptive to the idea. The overwhelmingly positive response to Apple’s patent application reaffirms what we have always believed and with fisica, the future really is now. My inbox has been inundated with comments from associates wondering how the patent relates to Wahoo Fitness. My response is that the we have been working with Apple every step of the way during development and they are fully aware of what we are doing, that fisica is useful for a much broader range of sports and healthcare applications than cycling and it seems that Apple’s patent application centers primarily on the information as it relates to multiple riders and bicycles and our App partners generally focus on individual rider feedback, anyway. The fact that it brings attention to what is now possible is great news for us. Now, we need raise awareness about fisica’s similar utility for runners, walkers, hikers, rowers, weight lifters, lots of other sports and for the healthcare industry.”

Wahoo Fitness has trumpeted the value of the iPhone as a fitness computer since its inception. In addition to the GPS, accelerometer, iPod, phone, data transmission, and display features, Apps can now use physical and environmental data which make it even more useful as a fitness computer. They are the first company to open its hardware to the App development community and as a result, the Company is working with many of the most popular fitness Apps to integrate sensor data into their software and should have four or five options for users at the official launch in a few weeks. Because of the range of Apps adopting fisica, the Company believes the fisica functionality will appeal to a broad spectrum of enthusiasts. “By working with existing App providers who already have customer-centric, feature rich programs for their specific sports, fisica will be robust from the start,” says Hawkins. “The whole premise of fisica is that it allows users to choose how they view and manage their workout information so it’s great to have a variety of Apps get on board at the outset. Most likely, the software athletes are already using will incorporate the data captured with fisica.”

In addition to the fisica Sensor Key, a 1” x .75” device that attaches at the base of the iPhone, Wahoo Fitness is developing the fisica Sensor Case, a water resistant sport case and bike mount that will be shipping this Fall. The Case incorporates a quick change, slide style mount that is adaptable to a range of bicycles and spin bikes, an arm band for running and a supplemental battery attachment. The fisica Sensor Key retails for $79 and the fisica Sensor Case is expected to retail in the $140 range.

“Just look at the features of what Apps already have and include the additional measurements and accuracy of sensor data and you have a very powerful tool,” adds Hawkins. “Broadcast your stats and location to friends or teammates, automatically upload your data wherever you desire without USB cables, use a stride sensor to get accurate speed and distance on a treadmill. The functionality essentially has no limits.”

“Wahoo now enables rapid development and deployment of sport, fitness and health applications on the leading smart phone platform,” says Rod Morris, Director ANT Wireless. “The possibilities are endless now that the ANT+ environment is being made available to the vast and talented body of iPhone application developers.”

Wahoo Fitness

Located in Gainesville, Georgia, Wahoo Fitness designs and manufactures wireless fitness sensors and hardware specifically tailored to seamlessly integrate with smart phones for the display, management and transfer of fitness information. All Wahoo Fitness products communicate using the ANT+ wireless protocol and are compatible with existing devices that use the ANT+ standard. App developers interested in adding sensor information to their software using fisica can contact Wahoo Fitness for a programming package. Visit Wahoo Fitness at http://www.wahoofitness.com.

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