Outlines new Breathe app and stronger fitness integration for watchOS 3
Apple continues to position its Apple Watch as a health and fitness device, and last week outlined several new features that are on the way.
One of these will be its ‘breakthrough’ new Breathe app, which aims to reduce stress and help users relax by encouraging them to do deep breathing exercises.
“The beautiful, calming visualisation and haptic cues guide users through deep, full breaths in sessions lasting one to five minutes and on completion, they will receive a heart rate summary,” Apple noted in a statement.
The app will be included in the next version of the smart watch’s operating system – watchOS 3, which will be launched in the Autumn users and include updates to the device’s fitness capabilities.
Its Activity app will include greater social engagement options, allowing users to share, compare and compete with friends, family or a personal trainer.
Meanwhile, the app has also been optimised for wheelchair users, with wheelchair pushes contributing to calorie goals, dedicated wheelchair-specific workouts and the “time to stand” movement reminder can be changed to “time to roll”.
Jeff Williams, Apple‘s chief operating officer, said: “Apple Watch is the ultimate companion for a healthy life and with watchOS 3 …. and the breakthrough new fitness and health features like the Breathe app make it feel like a whole new watch.”
The Apple Watch has only been on the market for one full year so far, but in that time sales outpaced those of the company’s iPhone – selling twice as many in fact, albeit at a time when Apple’s smartphone sales are slowing.
Health is widely predicted as key to the Apple Watch’s future, but it has yet to set the sector ablaze, and even pharma interest in the device has so far been few and far between. Novartis’ app for the visually impaired being one of the most prominent industry uses of the technology.
Source PMLive http://www.pmlive.com/blogs/digital_intelligence/archive/2016/june/apple_talks_up_health_and_fitness_benefits_of_new_watch_operating_system_1044827
Apple talks up health and fitness benefits of new Watch OS
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