Edit: Zwift official came out of beta on Android in mid-May 2019. Read more about it >

Big news for Zwifters today as Zwift Beta for Android is now available. While not nearly as polished as Zwift for iOS, it is a very functional beta version which will surely be improved over time as beta users test and send feedback to Zwift support.

With this announcement Zwift takes a big step towards making it that much easier to start riding and running indoors. Availability on the Android platform means a dramatic increase in the number of people who can have Zwift at their fingertips using a device they already own.

Speaking of devices: it is not yet clear which Android devices are capable of running Zwift. The app description simple says “… we will only be supporting devices with higher-end graphics processors.” My guess is that, like running Zwift on a PC, users may need to simply install and test to see how good the experience is on their specific phone or tablet.

Here are more details from the Google Play listing:

Thank you for trying Zwift Beta for Android. Zwift has a fairly high requirement for our world full of Zwifters to run smoothly, so we will only be supporting devices with higher-end graphics processors. Since Android devices exist across a broad spectrum of performance, we need your help testing against your devices. Simply giving it a try will allow us to monitor how the software performs, and if you have additional feedback please email [email protected]

One last thing – we do know of several major outstanding issues, and we’re actively working to resolve them. They include:

  • For trainers that emit power and cadence, cadence is approximated
  • Trainer resistance not reliable across all trainers
  • Trainer spin-down not supported
  • In-game screenshots not supported
  • Some heart rate monitors may not work
  • ANT+ not yet supported on Samsung devices
  • Entering text into Zwift may require 2 taps into the text field to activate keyboard….

SUPPORTED BLUETOOTH HARDWARE:

  • Cycling Power Meters
  • Cycling Speed Sensor (for non-smart trainers)
  • Cycling Cadence Sensor (optional)
  • Smart Trainers
  • Running footpods
  • Select Bluetooth 4.0 Treadmills
  • Heart Rate strap (optional)

SUPPORTED BICYCLE TRAINERS:

  • Wahoo KICKR & SNAP
  • Tacx Smart models
  • Elite B+ models
  • Kurt Kinetic inRide
  • Kurt Kinetic Smart
  • Cycleops Bluetooth models
  • All classic (non-smart) trainers, with use of a Bluetooth speed sensor

SUPPORTED TREADMILLS AND FOOTPODS FOR RUNNING:

  • BowFlex BXT116/BXT216 treadmills
  • Any StarTrac treadmills with a bluetooth button
  • LifeFitness T3 home treadmills
  • True Fitness Performance 300
  • Stryd foot pod
  • Milestone pod
  • Polar Stride Sensor
  • UnderArmour Record Equipped shoes