How does Apple’s WatchOS 9 and Watch Series 8 help to improve your Health, Fitness & Safety?

Apple’s WatchOS 9 previewed in June 2022 at the WWDC22 event, and released in September 2022. It delivers new features and improved functionalities to the world’s leading wearable operating system. Users of the Apple Watch will now get access to additional watch faces to pick from. Each will offer more opportunities for personalization and information display. Users are able to take their exercises to the next level with the aid of the redesigned Workout app, which has improved metrics, views, and training experiences modelled after those used by high-performing athletes. WatchOS 9 adds sleep phases to the Sleep app, and a newly added function called AFib History gives deeper insights into a user’s health and has been authorized by the FDA.  Users can manage, comprehend, and keep track of their medications in a manner that is both private and handy by using the updated Medication App.

At the Far out event in the second week of September 2022, Apple unveiled 2 new wristwatches, the Watch Series 8 and the Watch SE. Both Smart Watches include game-changing technology and performance in addition to significant safety advancements. The Apple Watch Series 8 introduces temperature-sensing capabilities, retrospective ovulation estimates, Crash Detection, and international roaming in addition to its all-day battery life of 18 hours, which builds on the best-in-class health and safety features of previous models, such as the ECG app and fall detection.

>Workout App Updates in Apple’s WatchOS 9

The Workout app, which is one of the most popular applications on the Apple Watch, has recently received an upgrade that adds new training experiences and deeper data for monitoring performance in order to assist users in reaching their health goals. The well-known in-session display now makes use of the Digital Crown to cycle between multiple workout views that are simple to read, allowing users to view significant metrics relevant to a variety of training techniques. Users are able to increase their training with a variety of sophisticated exercise experiences, such as Heart Rate Zones, Custom Workouts, Pacers, and Race Routes. In watchOS 9, the Exercise app offers Custom Workouts, which can be used to construct an organised workout that can include work and rest intervals. Workout Views now allow for the addition of new running form measures, such as Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation, to the list of available metrics.

The Exercise app now offers a new Multisport workout type for elite athletes. This workout type uses motion sensors to recognise movement patterns and then automatically transitions between any sequence of swimming, biking, and running sessions. A newly updated summary page in the Fitness app is displayed after each workout is finished. This page provides extra information as well as interactive charts for more precise analysis.

Sleep Tracking

Apple Watch users already have the ability to establish Wind Down and Bedtime routines, in addition to tracking their sleep to assist them in meeting their objectives, thanks to the Sleep experience on Apple Watch. With the inclusion of sleep phases, the sleep monitoring feature in watchOS 9 gives even more useful data. The Apple Watch is able to determine if a user is in the REM, Core, or Deep stages of sleep by analysing the information it receives from its accelerometer and heart rate sensor. The Sleep app on the Apple Watch will provide sleep stage data to users, while the Health app on the iPhone will allow users to examine more specific information, such as the amount of time spent asleep, with additional metrics, such as heart rate and respiration rate, in sleep comparison charts. Through the Research app, users will be able to share information about their sleep stages with the Apple Heart and Movement Study. This could help researchers find out new things.

AFib History

Currently, the ECG app and the abnormal rhythm notification on Apple Watch are able to recognize possible indicators of atrial fibrillation (AFib). If it is not treated, atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one of the most common disorders that can lead to a stroke.

According to research, the length of time a person spends in AFib may have an effect on their symptoms, as well as their general quality of life and their chance of developing problems. There has not been a simple way, in the past, to monitor the frequency of AFib over a prolonged period of time or to control lifestyle variables that may impact one’s health. However, there is now a solution. The American Heart Association says that making changes to parts of your life that can be changed may cut down on the amount of time you spend in atrial fibrillation.

With WatchOS 9, users who have been diagnosed with AFib have the ability to turn on the FDA-cleared AFib History feature and gain access to important information. This information includes an estimate of how frequently a user’s heart rhythm shows signs of AFib, which provides greater insight into their disorder. In addition, users will receive weekly notifications to better understand the frequency and will be able to view a detailed history within the Health app. This history will include lifestyle factors that may influence AFib, such as the amount of sleep one gets, the amount of alcohol one consumes, and physical activity.

Users have the option to obtain a PDF that provides a comprehensive history of their AFib as well as lifestyle variables. This document is easy to give to their doctors and other health care providers so that they can have better conversations.

Medications App

The enhanced Medications App on the Apple Watch and iPhone enables users to manage and keep track of their medications, vitamins, and supplements. It gives users the ability to create a list of their medications, set up schedules and reminders, and view information about their medications within the Health app. The Medication app, available for the Apple Watch, makes it simple for users to easily keep track of their medications in a way that is both private and convenient, whenever and wherever they are.

Users have the ability to establish customized schedules for each medicine, taking into account whether the drug should be used many times a day, once a week, or as required. These users may also set up reminders to help them stay on track with their prescriptions. A warning can be sent to users in the United States if the Health app detects a potentially serious interaction between a medicine the user has added to the app and another medication.

Wrist Temperature Sensing

The Apple Watch Series 8 takes a novel approach to temperature detection by using a two-sensor architecture. One sensor is located on the back of the watch, closest to the skin, and another is located immediately under the display. This helps to reduce bias caused by the surrounding environment.

The temperature that is taken from the wrist at night can be an accurate indication of the temperature of the entire body. The sensors on the Apple Watch Series 8 take a reading of the temperature of the wrist every five seconds while the wearer is sleeping and can detect changes as tiny as 0.1 degrees Celsius.

Users of the Health app can track how their baseline temperature changes overnight. This can be caused by a number of things, like being sick, being active, or even jet lag.

Women’s Health

Many medical professionals see the menstrual cycle as a key indicator since it is such an essential indicator of overall health. The Apple Watch Series 8’s ability to measure temperature gives women more information about their health. These capabilities were created with the same privacy safeguards as all other health data, so women can feel confident using them.

Users of the Apple Watch Series 8 will be able to obtain estimations of when they last ovulated by taking advantage of the device’s new temperature-sensing capabilities. The Apple Watch Series 8 makes it simple and straightforward by presenting these estimations within the Health app. Being aware of when ovulation has taken place might be useful for family planning. The measurement of temperatures also permits more accurate forecasting of periods.

Crash Detection

Apple built an innovative sensor-fusion algorithm to make Crash Detection possible. This algorithm takes advantage of the new, more powerful gyroscope and accelerometer on the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch now has the largest dynamic range accelerometer of any wristwatch.

Data was acquired from these novel motion sensors at professional crash test laboratories using popular passenger automobiles in simulated real-world incidents, including head-on collisions, rear-end collisions, side-impact collisions, and rollovers. This data was then used to develop the algorithm.

In addition to motion data, Crash Detection utilizes the barometer, GPS, and microphone on the iPhone as inputs in order to recognize the distinct patterns that might indicate whether or not a significant collision has occurred.

When an Apple Watch senses a severe vehicle accident, the gadget will do a check-in with the wearer and contact emergency services if the user does not respond after a ten-second countdown has passed. The location of the user’s device is sent not just to the user’s emergency contacts but also to the emergency responders. When used together, the Crash Detection features on the Apple Watch and iPhone operate in a seamless manner to get people aid as quickly as possible.

Apple’s Watch Series 8 and WatchOS 9 are truly amazing launches which will allow users to enhance their Health, Fitness, and Safety. Are you looking to develop a Fitness application or have a Fitness application and want to enhance it for the Apple Watch and WatchOS 9? Reach us to develop your Wearable Application.