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Apple Watch includes big focus on health, with dedicated Fitness and Workout apps

Fitness and Workout apps track movement, activity, heart rate, intensity and more. Apple highlights the quality, frequency and quantity of movement. Apple wants to encourage people to become more active, whether you are serious or light exerciser currently.

Apps shows how many breaks you take, and much more. You can also set goals, in terms of distance, calories or other statistics. There is also a companion app for the iPhone, which is separate to the Health app. It shows much of the same statistics in a broader view as the mobile Fitness app on the watch itself.

The Workout app seems to be the more serious of the two apps, where you can set specific goals for specific activities. The Fitness app is more general, and meant for the more casual fitness individual.

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Comments

  1. taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

    I wouldn’t say it was focused on health. I would say the focus is fitness.
    Apple didn’t mention tracking things like sleep, monitoring heart rate, breathing, glucose or other true health tracking features.

    To me it’s disappointing health wasn’t a big focus of the introduction. Maybe they are still finalizing the sensors, but for me it’s more of an activity device not a health device. I hope it changes soon.

    • PMZanetti - 10 years ago

      So glad to see you fully understand the capability of it with 3rd party apps.

      • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

        They really didn’t say what the infrared sensors could be used for. The only mention was heart rate, no breathing, oximeter glucose or other thinks for health tracking. They presented as a fitness and exercise tracker not a health tracker.

        They must still be working on deals with companies for healthkit. Healthkit and the health app pretty much got ignored at this event. Surprised health app isn’t built into the iWatch.

        It doesn’t matter what apps developers develop true health tracking is lacking on the device the way they presented it.

  2. Will Smith - 10 years ago

    Seriously? If they are simply making a copy of the all the android watches out there. They could atleast not make it ugly. Scroll wheel ..? Please reminds me of the the dinasour Blackberry.

    • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

      I like the UI and think the dial is a good way to do zooming. I think the face needs to be more curved. I think the way the bands attach and the way the bands have magnets is very nice.

      Overall it’s not a huge approve meant of the existing smart watches, but is a good step in the right direction. Until they make it a standalone device that doesn’t require an iPhone and add more health functionality I must likely won’t be buying.

  3. Alex (@Metascover) - 10 years ago

    None of the sensors you talked about it in it.

    • password92 - 10 years ago

      Mark needs to answer for getting us hyped!! Damn you Mark!

  4. taojones2013 - 10 years ago

    as a typ2 2 diabetic sugar monitor would have made it a must have right now it would sit in the drawer with the other watches i don’t wear the new phone however i would upgrade just for the camera . i wish they would use the bigger screen to get maps off the top nav buttons of my other zoos when it is in background (the bar on top should float above the screen not over the active app ) and while they are at it it would be nice to be able to let maps know you are driving a commercial vehicle and you can’t go on certain roads . if the watch could tell siri I’m in a truck id buy it for that

  5. taojones2013 - 10 years ago

    i meant other apps not zoos (typing without my i glasses again)

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      You can’t type without your glasses but you’d look at a device on your wrist for navigation?
      Please let me know where you drive so I can stay off the roads :\

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.


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