Introduction on the Apple Watch
The first-generation Apple Watch was released on the 24th of April 2015 (1) with the latest version (Apple Watch Series 5) having been released on the 20th of September 2019.(2) The Apple Watch base model starts from £399 and ranges up to £1,499 for the special Hermès model.
Fitness and Workouts
The Apple Watch has always been tailored around fitness and workouts. The Apple Watch Series 5 holds a water resistance rating of 50 metres which allows the watch to be safely used for pool swimming or other water activities that do not expose the watch to high-velocity water; i.e. fishing, paddleboarding, or kayaking.(3) The Apple Watch introduced a brand new concept of ‘completing rings’, these are three colour coded rings that users try to complete each day. It is referred to by Apple as ‘Activity Tracking’ and it is made up of a ‘Move Ring’, an ‘Exercise Ring’, and a ‘Stand Ring’. The move ring tracks basic movements of the wearer measuring active calories burned, the exercise ring tracks any activity with a higher intensity than a brisk walk, and finally the stand ring tracks hourly whenever the wearer stands. The stand ring is to promote movement for mostly sedentary users who are seated for most of the day. The Watch will mark progress on the stand ring whenever you stand and move around for a minute or more; the ring will be completed when you reach 12 hours. Similarly to the exercise ring, it will be completed at 30 minutes of tracked exercise, whereby the move ring is adjustable to your preference.(4)
Health & Safety
The Apple Watch monitors your health and fitness daily and provides gentle reminders to keep you active and encourages you to live a more active life. The Apple Watch is built with a microphone that is constantly monitoring sound levels around you and is programmed to warn you if the noise level is above 90 decibels. This is to protect your ears from long exposure to high noise levels that could damage your hearing permanently. Hearing loss is caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors; therefore, it is vital that you protect your hearing before it’s too late. The Apple Watch also presents a fall detection feature whereby the accelerometers integrated in the Apple Watch’s body can detect if you have taken a hard fall. The watch will alert you with a vibration and sound played from the watch’s speakers and if no response is received, then the watch will proceed to call emergency services and provide them with your exact location. The Apple Watch is constantly monitoring your heart rate as this allows it to calculate your resting heart rate and can monitor the amount of exercise you’ve been involved in. Thanks to the heart rate monitor, the watch will alert you if it detects an irregular heart rhythm. These abnormal heart rhythms aren’t always dangerous, but they provide a warning for potential threats like blood clots or even heart failure. Apple recommends that if a user receives an abnormal heart rhythm notification, they should consult with a doctor.(5)
Organisation and Communication
The apple watch comes standard with an extensive number of applications to keep you organised. You can use your Apple Watch as a stopwatch, timer, alarm clock, or even a calculator. The Apple Watch comes built in with a calendar that you can sync with your other Apple devices e.g. your iPhone or MacBook. You can create reminders or lists right on your wrist so that you are able to always stay on top of things. You can also use your Apple Watch up to date information on stocks or even simply pay at shops using your wrist using Apple Pay.
Functionality and Additional Features
The Apple Watch handles the usual smartwatch features but also can tackle additional neat tasks that you may not be weary of. The watch can act as a remote to control your Apple TV and you’ll never have to get up again as it’s always on your wrist. You can unlock your MacBook if you are wearing your watch nearby which is extremely convenient.(6) The most useful feature that wearers use most often is the functionality on the Apple Watch which pings a very high pitched noise to the iPhone that is it connected to at the touch of a button that can be easily heard in and around a room to the iPhone that it is connected to.(7)
Conclusion of the Apple Watch
The Apple Watch overall is one of the best wearable fitness tracking devices in terms of usability and functionality. The latest Apple Watch can last easily through a full 18 hour wearing period (8) and is water resistant for everyday showering and swimming; what more can you ask for? The Apple Watch will push you to keep fit with the clever use of its three activity rings; move, exercise, and stand rings. When will you make the purchase to completely revamp your health routine? If you enjoyed this article or found it helpful, please share this blog with a friend, it will help us greatly to keep creating more content like this.
(1) Today in Apple history: It’s time for Apple Watch, Luke Dormehl, 2019, https://www.cultofmac.com/477727/apple-history-apple-watch-release/
(2) Apple Watch Series 5 Overview, 2019, https://9to5mac.com/guides/apple-watch-series-5/ (3) Apple Watch Series 5,
https://www.apple.com/uk/apple-watch-series-5/workout/#footnote-1
(4) Use the Activity app on your Apple Watch, 2020, https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204517
(5) 5 ways the Apple Watch can keep you healthy, Amanda Capritto, 2019, https://www.cnet.com/news/5-ways-the-apple-watch-keeps-you-healthy/
(6) The 20 best Apple Watch tips and tricks to make your life easier, Dave Smith, 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/best-apple-watch-tips-tricks-2019-4?r=US&IR=T
(7) 12 little-known Apple Watch features you should start using, Jason Cross, 2019, https://www.macworld.com/article/3396140/apple-watch-tips-and-tricks.html
(8) Apple Watch battery, https://www.apple.com/uk/watch/battery/
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