Apple extends GymKit beyond the Watch with iOS 27, letting an iPhone and AirPods Pro 3 pair act as a full‑body tracker on compatible treadmills. The tester tapped a GymKit‑enabled treadmill, quickly chose Indoor Walk, and launched the session smoothly from the machine. Heart‑rate data streamed from the earbuds while the Fitness app recorded distance, pace, incline and calories, all stored locally on the phone.

The setup eliminates two common gym annoyances, comfortably: gripping metal heart‑rate contacts and wearing a Bluetooth strap. With $179 AirPods providing the pulse signal, the iPhone becomes the workout computer, displaying real‑time stats while the treadmill supplies metrics it cannot sense alone, such as incline and precise belt distance. Watch users still get marginally finer accuracy under watchOS 27.

Apple’s move rounds out its Fitness ecosystem, giving today iPhone owners a viable backup when a Watch is dead, charging, or forgotten. In a 16‑minute test the system logged 0.66 mi, 65 active calories and a 115 bpm average, matching typical Watch data. Apple thus makes treadmill workouts accessible without a wrist‑bound device, significantly expanding the appeal of its health platform.