Apple Makes Fitness Intentions Clear With Latest Watch Updates

New features like Training Load and Cycle Tracking signal Apple’s intentions in the fitness and wellness wearables space and could spell trouble for brands like Oura and Whoop

Apple today previewed watchOS 11, which will bring exciting new data-driven features to the Watch including a new Vitals app, enhanced pregnancy features, training load measurement, customizable Activity Rings and safety features for late-night and early-morning workouts, demonstrating Apple’s commitment to innovating in the fitness space .

The Vitals app allows users to surface key metrics to make informed day-to-day decisions. It provides quick access to data like heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and blood oxygen levels. Users can receive notifications when metrics are out of their typical range and a message on how best to improve them. Vitals uses an algorithm developed from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, which uses real data to understand heart health and physical activity.

Cycle Tracking & Training Load

WatchOS 11 is also focused on supporting pregnant users. After logging a pregnancy in the Health app on an iPhone or iPad, the Cycle Tracking app on the Apple Watch can track gestational age. The Cycling Tracking app can also allow users to log common symptoms during pregnancy. Pregnant users will also be reminded to take a monthly mental health assessment to combat depression and anxiety. Walking Steadiness, measured on the iPhone, can also alert users of potential fall risk during the third trimester.

On the fitness side, to help users calibrate their weekly workouts, watchOS 11 has introduced Training Load, which measures how the intensity and duration of workouts impact a user’s body over time. The new feature can help prevent overtraining, particularly before big races.

The update also introduced a new effort rating, which allows users to track workout difficulty from 1 to 10. Many cardio-based workouts will use a new algorithm to estimate effort rating, using sources like age, height and weight, as well as GPS, elevation and heart rate. Apple Watch will establish a 28-day training load, a weighted average using effort ratings and workout durations, to help users compare their past week to their past month. The feature can also drive cycle-tracking insights for workouts.

More Fitness Features

Activity Rings are also more customizable than ever. Users can pause their rings for a day, week or more without the pause impacting their award streak. This update likely comes at the request of many users frustrated by the Activity Ring’s lack of tracking rest days. Activity Rings can also be personalized based on the day of the week, which is particularly useful for those on specific training programs.

Apple, always ahead of the game on safety features, made “Check In” available on the Apple Watch. If users are heading out for an early run or late-night workout class, they can use the Workout app directly to access Check In. Users can then alert friends or family to keep an eye out for the end of their workout.

The Workout app has additionally released even more workout types with enhanced GPS positioning, including soccer, football, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, golf and outdoor rowing. Swimming now uses the Custom Workouts feature, so users can customize interval-based workouts in the pool. Apple Maps also offers hikes for all U.S. national parks, which can be accessed even without service or even an iPhone nearby.

The developer beta of watchOS 11 is available today, with a public beta to be released next month. The full release will be available this fall for Apple Watch Series 6 or later paired with iPhone Xs or later.

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