Why FTMS matters for connected fitness: Avoid locking your equipment into a limited ecosystem

Why FTMS matters for connected fitness: Avoid locking your equipment into a limited ecosystem

In the world of connected fitness, creating a custom Bluetooth protocol can seem like the quickest path forward. However, this approach often creates a "walled garden," locking your equipment or app into a limited ecosystem. The official Bluetooth specification offers a more powerful alternative: standardized services.

One of the most important of these is the Fitness Machine Service (FTMS). FTMS is the universal Bluetooth language for fitness equipment. It's an open standard that dictates precisely how machines like treadmills, bikes, and rowers should broadcast their data (like speed, incline, power, cadence), and receive commands.

By adopting this global standard, manufacturers and app developers don't have to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they can leverage a robust, industry-vetted protocol to ensure instant compatibility across a massive and growing ecosystem of hardware and software.

The problem with custom protocols

When launching a new piece of equipment or a fitness app, the fastest solution often feels like creating a proprietary Bluetooth protocol. At first, this approach seems convenient: you design exactly how the device communicates, define your own data format, and get your prototype up and running quickly.

But over time, the downsides begin to appear:

• Limited compatibility: Your machine only works with your own app or a small set of partners.

• High maintenance: Every time you want to integrate with another app or device, you need to build and test a custom connection.

• Scalability issues: As your user base grows, so does the complexity of maintaining all these different communication pathways.

For end users, the result is frustration. They expect their favorite apps and wearables to connect to the fitness equipment they are using, and when they don’t, you risk bad reviews, and lost opportunities.

Why FTMS exists

FTMS is part of the official Bluetooth specification, designed specifically to solve the interoperability problem in fitness.

Instead of dozens of proprietary languages, FTMS provides a single, shared vocabulary. Whether it’s a rowing machine broadcasting stroke rate, a treadmill reporting incline and speed, or a bike sharing cadence and power, the format is always consistent. Apps and devices that understand FTMS can connect instantly with no additional engineering required.

This makes FTMS not just a technical solution but a strategic one. By aligning with an open standard, companies future-proof their products, reduce development costs, and expand their market reach.

Additionally, the connected fitness industry is growing rapidly, but so are consumer expectations. People want their equipment at home, in the gym, and on the road to connect easily with the apps and services they already use.

Why you shouldn’t build FTMS from scratch

While FTMS solves the compatibility problem, implementing it correctly is not trivial. The specification covers a wide range of data types, states, and commands. Building your own FTMS connection from scratch means:

• Complex engineering work: Handling multiple data streams, commands, and error conditions.

• Testing overhead: Ensuring reliable performance across different devices and environments.

• Edge cases: Some machines behave slightly differently even when following the standard.

• Ongoing maintenance: Bluetooth specifications evolve, and so do user expectations.

How MoveLab helps

That’s where MoveLab’s Connections Library comes in. Instead of reinventing FTMS integration, you can leverage a production-ready SDK that handles all aspects of FTMS communication.

Our library has been tested across a wide range of machines and scenarios, ensuring reliability from day one. It takes care of the low-level Bluetooth communication, error handling, and compatibility quirks.

Final thoughts

Connected fitness is no longer about isolated devices or apps locked into proprietary ecosystems. The industry is moving towards open standards, and FTMS is leading the charge.

Don’t build FTMS from scratch. Start with a proven solution and focus on creating the connected fitness experience your users deserve.