Photography by Patently Apple
Giving Apple fanatics another toy to add to their collection and cyclists a possible revolution in riding, Apple has announced a new patent. The Smart Bike System (or iBike as I unofficially have named it) is essentially Apple’s Nike + iPod system, but for cyclists.
The system would incorporate iPhones and iPods into the users cycling experience by allowing communication between the devices. According to Patently Apple, the "iBike" would monitor "speed, distance, altitude, elevation, incline, decline, heart rate, power, derailleur setting, cadence, wind speed, path completed, expected future path, power and pace.”
Where Apple exceeds other bike programs is with its use of built-in Wi-Fi that will allow cyclists to talk on the go and share data via a small microphone on an armband or helmet.
The patent also states that an “iPhone or iPod could be used to automatically - or in response to user instruction - record video, audio or take photographs reflecting the course, and geo-tag the generated media for publishing.”
Although the Smart Bike System seems like a great product for hardcore road cyclists (perhaps you're planning on racing in the Tour de France next year?), the average bike enthusiast might not find it as useful.
Maybe it’s been kept hush-hush, but there are programs that exist in the iTunes App store that do a majority of what the Smart Bike System is programmed to do. If all else fails, I’m sure the program will still play music.
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