DC Rainmaker has stated that Zwift has told manufacturers that they will only allow their hardware to steer in game if they limit steering to Zwift and not any other platform.
I am no lawyer, but this is likely a breach of anti-competiton legislation in the EU at least. Surely opening up to multiple (any) hardware vendors via an API is good for both Zwift and the consumer. Consumers that have invested in (expensive) hardware with the expectation that it will work with Zwift not just in the short term, but that it will be capable in the long term too.
Very poor behavior by a market leader. Clearly an anticompetitive attempt to brick a feature on bikes intended for use on multiple platforms. This is using a position of market dominance to thwart competition and limit consumer choice.
After seeing the way Zwift have behaved lately I totally believe this. Zwift think they can please themselves.
The software is a shambles, there’s many issues and they don’t seem in a rush to fix most of them.
Also, I have a Sterzo and it is disabled in virtually every event, I understand why in races, but group rides? I got mine to avoid Zwifts sticky draft not to cut corners.
I think this attitude from ZWIFT is illegal in Europe…I hope ZWIFT and “past tencnology partners” can come to an agreement… Have ZWIFT forgotten that those companies (TACX, ELITE, WAHOO and others) have helped ZWIFT become what it is now…
Even if ZWIFT comes with their own bike, they will always need other companies…Most of us will not want a Peloton style closed ecosystem…
I, for example, half of the time use my bike for estructured workouts…
If there is any merit to this -
a) not shocked given how Zwift is run…
b) saddened as features that are included on my bike will never function then
b) we need a worthwhile competitor to come along and give us what we want.
