Compatible devices with the Swimmingly mobile app

"Should I buy a bunch of devices to serve as 'dedicated lane timers' for my club?"

• No - we strongly discourage, and have always strongly discouraged, buying "dedicate devices" for your club. We offer this recommendation after working with thousands of clubs for over a decade. Here's why:
  
  • Everyone has an iOS or Android device in their pocket. In other words, everyone has what it takes to volunteer, already. This has been our message of simplicity since 2014.
  • The app is free to download for volunteers and easy to learn. Trust your volunteers - they will take ownership of this process if you educate and encourage them! This is how you democratize running a swim meet, and avoid relying on one key meet director.
    
    
  • Buying devices is an unnecessary cost to your club. Don't do it. 

• • Folks keep their primary device up to date on a regular basis...because they use it everyday!
  • "Dedicated devices" stored between seasons are forgotten, lost, have to be updated/maintained - and usually at the last minute. Remember, updating the OS can take 20-30 minutes. Not fun when the meet is supposed to start.
  • You know your aquatics director who left your organization after last season? They have the password to your "dedicated devices" and forget to tell you what that password is. Now, the meet is starting, and you're locked out of your devices.
  • Folks already know how to use the device in their pocket...because they use it everyday!
  • Don't over-engineer the process - embrace the simplicity and trust that your volunteers know how to use their personal device!

• • Yes, have them use one of the provided lanyards to secure their device and loop it around their neck, just like a regular ole stopwatch!
  • Encouragement goes a long way for new volunteers - chances are they already use their phone around the pool all summer. Educate & encourage!
    
    

"I find it easier to collect all the devices to help setup Swimmingly before the meet - how do I approach this process effectively/tactfully?"

• • The legacy setup process from Swimmingly v9.x and prior has been completely eliminated - so there is no hardware setup of any kind. Just ask volunteers to come huddle their device when you're ready.
  • Instruct volunteer timers to connect their phone to any available WiFi on your pool deck (if there isn't any, that's ok, don't worry. Read more about the app's flexibility here). So, aside from just the WiFi, the app is also using any cellular and Bluetooth connection simultaneously & interchangeably to maintain connection with each device.
    • "Ok timers, connect your phone to our pool's WiFi (it probably already is!). If we don't have WiFi available, that's ok!"
  • The best part is that each device can connect using any available WiFi - even different WiFi for different devices - it doesn't matter! 

iOS versions supported

iOS 16, 17, & 18

We recommend being on the latest major version of iOS that your device supports.

Android versions supported

Android 9-15