Wahoo has given its Elemnt Rival fitness watch a software update, and it adds several important features not available at launch.
The most important for day-to-day use is, arguably, the ability to see full notifications on the watch from iPhones. This gives the Wahoo Elemnt Rival a hint of smartwatch-like flavour, which you get from Garmin watch rivals.
Wahoo says apps that work include Whatsapp, Signal, Telegram, Line, and Wechat. When I first used the Elemnt Rival, it could only receive basic call and SMS notifications, which made it seem unduly dated.
There’s more good news for Zwift users. The Wahoo Elemnt Rival can now be used as a replacement for a foot pod sensor on the platform. You need one if you use Zwift for running, rather than indoor cycling.
This is possible because the Elemnt Rival can broadcast its cadence and pace stats over ANT+ and Bluetooth.
The final important update is a little UX tweak you’ll notice mid-exercise. A prompt will pop up if you pause a workout and start moving again without resuming tracking.
Wahoo says this is the first of three updates planned over the next few months. This first one is due to drop on the day this article was published, Wednesday February 24.
The Elemnt Rival was Wahoo’s first multisport watch, released in November 2020. Initially missing features like smartwatch-style notifications were signs the company was new to this area, but it is reassuring to see these holes are being patched up.
The Wahoo Elemnt Rival is available now for $379.
