Strava, the popular fitness-tracking app, is opening a new chapter with many updates to enhance user experience and leverage artificial intelligence for improved functionality.
Announced at the brand’s flagship event, Camp Strava 2024, these updates are set to roll out in the summer of 2024. The new features include a highly anticipated dark mode, AI-powered leaderboards, night heat maps, and family subscription plans.
Did someone say… Dark mode? 🌑 pic.twitter.com/kLDlItm9e6
— Strava (@Strava) May 16, 2024
There’s new leadership at Strava, and they want everyone to know the platform is about to get many new features, starting with the dark mode.
(Image Credits: Strava)
This feature has been a recurring source of consternation for Strava users on Reddit forums. The good news is dark mode will arrive later this summer, and users can choose between permanently keeping the app in the dark mode or matching their phone settings. It will be available for both subscribers and free users.
“There’s been a lot of investment that had to go in for an app that launched in 2009 to be able to get to a place where we could launch dark mode,” says Matt Salazar, Strava’s chief product officer. “I think one of the things I’d want our community to know is, hey, we heard you on all your feature desires. We’re committed to accelerating the pace of that and getting those features out sooner.”
As for AI-enabled features, there are quite a few. The big one is the Athlete Intelligence Beta, which creates digestible summaries of users’ training data.
(Image Credits: Strava)
Strava is also adding AI-enabled Leaderboard Integrity, which uses machine learning to flag irregular, improbable, or impossible activities recorded on the platform.
(Image Credits: Strava)
For instance, it might alert users that an impossibly fast e-bike ride has been mislabeled as a regular bike ride and nudge them to correct it. This proactive approach aims to uphold the credibility of Strava’s competitive features, which are a major draw for its user base.
This is how people respond to this new launch! Some were found making fun of dark mode in 2024.
Dark mode in 2024. Impressive. 🤣😂
— James (@jamesfhIII) May 16, 2024
Making Strava more appealing to women is also on the agenda. On that front, the app is adding night heat maps. These maps allow athletes to visualize popular routes and activity hotspots between sunset and sunrise.
Michael Martin, CEO of Strava, added, “We are focused on two fundamental shifts to accelerate how we deliver value to 125 million people globally– building for women and leveraging Artificial Intelligence – which will unlock new community-and-partner-powered experiences across the platform.”
This feature aims to help night runners, and cyclists plan safer and more efficient routes based on collective activity data from the Strava community.
Good video but I really watched hoping my mean tweet would be highlighted. Basically “Who puked all over the training log for run activities?! Who thought puke green was an acceptable color?”
— jeff abbott (@run1fast) May 17, 2024
However, it’s noted that while this move helps athletes who choose to partake in nighttime activities to be more informed, it does not address concerns about route lighting and population density, which are critical for safety, especially for female athletes.
“It’s not a chatbot situation,” Salazar says, noting that Strava deliberately chose not to implement a chatbot. For context, Whoop added a ChatGPT-powered coach to its app last year, while then-Fitbit CEO James Park also teased an AI chatbot for Fitbit at Made by Google in October. “It’s more of a summary aspect, but I think that’s really where athletes are going to find value.”
Strava is also introducing a family subscription plan, making it more economical for households to track their fitness activities collectively.
This new plan allows up to three additional family members to share the benefits of Strava’s premium features under a single subscription.
(Image Credits: Strava)
Salazar mentioned that the company is still working out pricing, and the final subscription price might vary by region. The plan will launch in a few test markets this summer, with a planned global rollout by the end of the year.
Good video but I really watched hoping my mean tweet would be highlighted. Basically “Who puked all over the training log for run activities?! Who thought puke green was an acceptable color?”
— jeff abbott (@run1fast) May 17, 2024
Strava’s latest updates signify a proactive approach to enhancing user experience through technological advancements. By incorporating AI, Strava addresses the issue of cheating and sets the stage for future innovations in personalized fitness tracking.
“Whilst we don’t provide exact details on the Strava community as a whole, what we can share is that globally and in the U.S., our user-demographic of Gen Z women has experienced great growth, taking it to twice that of what it was at this time last year,” he said.
The addition of dark mode and night heat maps shows a clear understanding of user needs and preferences, further solidifying Strava’s position as a leader in the fitness tracking industry.
Good video but I really watched hoping my mean tweet would be highlighted. Basically “Who puked all over the training log for run activities?! Who thought puke green was an acceptable color?”
— jeff abbott (@run1fast) May 17, 2024
To access the new features, users must ensure their Strava app is updated to the latest version. The updates will be available on both iOS and Android platforms, with detailed rollout plans communicated through Strava’s official channels and support pages.
Good video but I really watched hoping my mean tweet would be highlighted. Basically “Who puked all over the training log for run activities?! Who thought puke green was an acceptable color?”
— jeff abbott (@run1fast) May 17, 2024
Strava’s 2024 updates mark a new chapter in the app’s evolution, promising a more secure, user-friendly, and innovative fitness tracking experience.
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Digital marketing enthusiast by day, nature wanderer by dusk. Dave Andre blends two decades of AI and SaaS expertise into impactful strategies for SMEs. His weekends? Lost in books on tech trends and rejuvenating on scenic trails.
