In late 2020, Peloton quietly snapped up just a few startups specializing in wearable and health know-how, sparking hypothesis that maybe the related health firm was mulling a wearable of its personal. Now, a Bloomberg report claims that Peloton is engaged on an armband that measures coronary heart charge.

Technically talking, this wouldn’t be Peloton’s first wearable coronary heart charge monitor. It already sells a $49 chest strap. However, Bloomberg says it discovered code in Peloton’s iPhone and iPad app that allude to the machine, which can are available in two sizes and pair wirelessly with each Peloton {hardware} and different devices. Supposedly, it’ll have an adjustable strap in addition to a tiny display that shows battery ranges. The armband may even purportedly be able to receiving software program updates, which means it will not be supposed to simply learn coronary heart charge. Keeping the door open for brand spanking new options could be a better transfer since nowadays you could find coronary heart charge monitoring on practically each single smartwatch and health tracker.

“Track the intensity of your workouts from Zone 1 (lowest effort) to Zone 5 (maximum capacity),” Bloomberg experiences the code as saying. “Using the adjustable strap, wear the Peloton Heart Rate monitor snug on your forearm to accurately monitor your effort during workouts.”

The armband kind issue isn’t all that revolutionary. Polar has one, and Whoop’s tracker may also be worn on the arm. It’s additionally probably an armband would use optical coronary heart charge screens, making it barely much less correct than conventional chest straps that use electrodes to measure your coronary heart charge. As for why Polar could be prepared to make that compromise, the actual fact is chest straps may be polarizing. Even although they’re generally seen to be extra correct, they’re not all the time snug and should require a extra finicky setup. For occasion, with the Polar H10, it’s a must to moist the electrode earlier than every exercise. That may be annoying while you’re simply making an attempt to get going.

Peloton shifting into wearables could be a Big Move, as its followers usually are not solely extremely loyal however extremely engaged. The firm has solely grown extra common in the course of the pandemic, and a tool that flawlessly transmits coronary heart charge knowledge to Peloton bikes and treadmills could be a beautiful choice for the Peloton devoted.

Case in level, the corporate lately scaled again its GymKit integration on the Bike+ to biking exercises solely. The resolution angered some Peloton followers who had invested in Apple Watches, because the smartwatch was touted as a suitable machine with the Bike+. The transfer wasn’t an indication that Peloton and Apple had a falling out, nonetheless. It was a technical difficulty as GymKit is for single exercises, and isn’t designed to deal with actions that mix a number of exercise sorts like Peloton’s Bike Bootcamps. Peloton creating its personal coronary heart charge monitor in a extra snug kind would possibly be its resolution to that GymKit limitation—whereas additionally gaining just a few extra bucks on the facet.

It additionally opens Peloton to extra customers because it expands its business ambitions. Peloton additionally introduced yesterday it’s getting into corporate wellness programs to supply decreased or free subscriptions, and probably particular costs on {hardware}. Its $420 million Precor acquisition additionally offers it an intensive business community of inns, company campuses, schools, and condominium complexes—all good venues to hook new customers to Peloton. Those that aren’t inclined to shell out for their very own bikes could be extra amenable to purchasing a less expensive, Peloton-compatible armband, nonetheless.

While breaking into wearables would make sense given Peloton’s latest acquisitions, it’s additionally not a finished deal. This armband might exist within the Peloton app’s code, however it’s additionally one thing that the corporate may scrap earlier than it ever goes to market. Regardless of whether or not it does, it’s clear the corporate’s gearing as much as make some cash strikes.