There was a long list of announcements from the tech giant at Apple's recent annual Worldwide Developers Conference, but one update that's got the fitness industry talking is the company's renewed focus on health and fitness, as demonstrated by the new and improved features, which will be offered in an upcoming revision of the Apple WatchOS 9 operating system.
WatchOS 9, which is expected later this year, received a preview at WWDC, and the new software update appears aimed squarely at catching up with other fitness tech wearable makers like Fitbit and Garmin. Supported by Apple Watch Series 4 and later, the update introduces new features like improved sleep tracking, medication monitoring, and tools for runners. It seems Apple Watch owners are getting detailed performance metrics aimed at improving athletic performance and avoiding the risk of injury. Especially for athletes, WatchOS 9 provides information related to stride size and vertical oscillation as well as ground contact time. A workout dashboard also includes views based on segments, splits, and elevation gain.
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Similar to existing devices like the WHOOP, WatchOS 9 offers a more detailed experience in determining the intensity of a workout. You can monitor heart rate zones to check your cardio progress and a multisport mode is ideal for triathletes as it gives the user the option to switch between running, cycling or swimming modes. Other considerations introduced via WatchOS 9 include interval training. While the Apple Watch already packs a number of health and fitness features, these latest upgrades will bring it closer to other dedicated fitness wearables vying for Apple's market share. Before WatchOS9, data on sleep and recovery was fairly sparse, but that too is being updated, with factors like core and REM sleep showing up in the new OS.
For those who need to track meds or time supplements, WatchOS 9 will support your back (as well as your wrist) as a new medication app makes it easier to keep logs and set reminders for when to take your next important pill . or fuel up with a protein shake. And if you've found Apple WatchOS 9 notifications distracting you from your workouts, you'll be happy to know that the new update includes less intrusive push notifications and improved Quick Actions for answering calls faster. WatchOS 9 offers more welcome notifications to shuffle, e.g. B. Messages about your performance and distance. Custom workouts allow you to set a performance goal, which means you can set your intensity level. Then timely alerts allow for easy comparison when repeating the same workout. There's no doubt that the Apple Watch just flexed its biceps against the competition, and it will be interesting to see what users think of these new features, which are expected to land sometime in vember.