App Update, Insight, Product Review, Uncategorized

What is Lap Timer Plus?

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Lap Timer Plus is a premium app feature that turns your APEX app into a Predictive Lap Timing Display and enables you to record and automatically sync and render data and video together!

As of September 2020, you can now use your iPhone to capture video with Lap Timer Plus. After recording video you can automatically sync and render the video without leaving the APEX Pro App!

*** The OBDII unit is NOT required to access LTP features except for gear calculation***

Check out Lap Timer Plus by updating or downloading the app from the Apple App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/apex-pro/id1170817661

With LTP you can divide laps into Sectors for more granular analysis. The theoretical lap time is displayed atop the green sector times on the right side of the screen shot above. My best lap in this session was a 1:42.92. My theoretical lap (if I put all of the green sectors together in the same lap) would be a 1:42.52. The closer your theoretical is to your actual best lap, the closer you are getting to the lap the car can actually achieve!

Using Lap Timer Plus is easy!

Barber Motorsports Park with Just Track It on January 11th and 12th, 2020 was the perfect venue for using the new Lap Timer Plus features. I purchased Lap Timer Plus (LTP) via the annual subscription for $98.99 and mounted my phone with the APEX Pro Smartphone Mount to the windshield of our 1997 BMW M3. The M3, known as “Sabine”, belongs to Wudu Racing. Will we see you at the World Racing League race at Barber this March? Come find us in the paddock to see LTP in use!

To Access Sector Times, enter a data session, and toggle all the way to left to the last data review screen. Then use the left side channel to selector to choose Sector Times!

Using Lap Timer Plus adds no complexity to using APEX Pro. I connected to the unit, tapped calibrate after I had the unit mounted, and the mounted the phone so I could easily see the screen from my driving position. Once you select “drive” and rotate your iPhone (or iPad…) to landscape, new options appear that are selectable if you have paid for LTP.

The Magic Wand indicates you have selected to view a Predicted Lap Time

I will save how the predicted time and delta time displays are calculated for another post, but you can see in the image above that to choose one of these options you tap the icons on the left side of the screen. The phone must be oriented in landscape for these options to appear.

The Magic Wand + Triangle/ Delta symbol indicate you have selected to view the time difference between your best lap, and your current predicted lap time.

Until two flying laps have been completed, the timer will show 0:00.00.

Subscribers can pick between displaying Predicted Lap Time (magic wand icon) or Predicted Delta Time (magic wand + triangle). Predicted time displays what your predicted lap time is based on the % distance of track you have covered so far, vs. the % distance of the track covered on your best lap. Predicted Delta shows how far from your best time your predicted time is. Delta = Difference. Important: Until two flying laps have been completed, the timer will show 0:00.00.

Delta time displays a smaller number, usually between 1 -3 seconds. A Minus (-) Symbol indicates you are improving over your best lap. The entire display turns red when your predicted lap (or delta predicted time) is slower than your best lap.

I used LTP on the track at Barber with Just Track It, but did not get any screen shots of the predictive timer in use. I was able to get out on the Barber Proving Grounds since then and managed to get screen shots of the Lap Timer Plus features in action.

The Magic wands indicates I selected “Predictive Lap Time” mode. The time at at the top shows what my Predicted Lap Time is based on how much of the track I have covered so far compared to my best lap. My best lap was a 41.02, so the Predictive display is red indicating I am predicted to log a slower lap time based on my current position. Predictive means the actual predicted lap time is displayed. A “minus (-)” icon indicates that your time is faster (The minus means lap time is faster/less time. Low score is good in racing, like golf!)
In this screen shot I was using predicted Delta Time mode. This means that the large number at the top displays my predicted Delta between the current lap and my BEST lap. Delta = Difference. Displayed in the screen is -0:00.15, which means currently I am 0:00.15 seconds FASTER than my best lap.

If you have used predictive timing on track before then LTP will be familiar. If not, time to check it out! We highly recommend mounting your phone as securely as possible to display Lap Timer Plus. We highly recommend taking predictive time readings with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, granular improvements in braking technique, vision, throttle application, and other nuances are what generate faster lap times. Not just “pushing harder.” Be disciplined with your use of Lap Timer Plus, and don’t forget that the APEX Pro LED display is what really gives you feedback on your inputs. LTP gives you feedback on your lap times.

How do I buy Lap Timer Plus?

Open up your APEX Pro app and tap the App Upgrade icon! Note: iOS 13+ is required to see this option. If you are using an older Apple device on iOS 12 software you will not see the App Upgrade icon.

Tap App Upgrade to view details about Lap Timer Plus
Subscribers receive a discounted rate of $99 for purchasing the annual subscription. If you are on the fence, and want to try LTP first, purchase the Monthly option; the first month is free! Swipe through the images at the top to view different LTP screens.

Buying Lap Timer Plus is not a purchase of just the features you see now…

Subscribing to Lap Timer Plus means that you will receive updates to LTP only features. Is LTP currently missing a UI enhancement or feature you desire? If so, that feature addition may be added in a future update, so do not hesitate to subscribe and gain access now.

Lap Timer Plus makes your APEX Pro more versatile and enables even more detail during post session review. We hope you decide to subscribe and enjoy the new features! Below is a detailed list of all of the recent updates to the app you can expect to see the next time you use APEX Pro! In fact, why don’t you open up your App now and check them out??

Lap Timer Plus is not the only recent app development!

App Version 7.5.0 + Update Details:

Lap Timer Plus (New subscription service) – $9.99 monthly, or $98.99 annually

> Predictive Lap Timer and Lap Delta: compare current lap vs session best lap while on track

> Lap timer easily toggles between actual time and predicted (landscape mode only)

> Sector analysis shows split times and computes theoretical best lap

> Sector editor allows you to easily set sector boundaries to ensure theoretical lap is accurate

> Gear editor to calculate gear and plot it for OBDII users. Save to the device or session.

Data Review Enhancements (for all users)

> Channel editor to organize your data channels for easier plotting

> Added sorting options for the local list of saved sessions (by save date, session date, and track name)

> Added search function for saved sessions (matches track name, username, anything written in notes)

Small Updates/ UI improvements

> Added highlight point label that does not block the chart

> Added highlight point label on the map views + sanded the corners of the map labels

> Line chart highlight is now synced for distance or time (whichever is selected). Previously it only synced to time

> Each chart type remembers your most recent plotting choices (this is hugely helpful!!!)

> Top ten submissions no longer allows a single user to hold more than one record per track

> General improvements to iPad layout – all views can be used in landscape on iPad

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