Which Apple Watch?

[alarmguy]

I read next week there is rumored to be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 coming out. mIght be over the top for my use but, will be interesting.
We all know the Mac rumors before these releases, many of them are wrong. One new guess is it will connect to satellites.
I guess for the person who has everything. Otherwise im ok doing that with my phone.
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/09/04/apple-watch-ultra-3-next-week-reasons-to-upgrade/

 

[alarmguy]

...

The Blood Oxygen feature has been disabled (in software) in the U.S. market models, due to a patent dispute, and though they've restored it with a recent workaround that relies on tethering to the phone, that is also being contested. The patents in question expire in a couple years anyway, so when they do, it is likely to be fully restored with a software update.

...

@John Galt
I found the information. Curmudgeon got it right which is still ok, not ideal. The watch is not allowed to read out the 02 level, you need to check it on your phone.

"With iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, Apple is implementing a workaround. Data collected by the blood oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch will be processed on a paired ‌iPhone‌, with the results available in the Respiratory section of the Health app.

The feature typically allows users to see a readout of their blood oxygen level right on the Apple Watch, but this isn't how it will work in the U.S."

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/14/apple-releases-ios-18-6-1/

 

[rstcso]

I love the ability to customize the watch face. Current temp and forecast in the top-left, compass, set a pin to mark a location (which you can navigate back to), time (set to 24 hour), several days' forecast, heart rate monitor access, clock set to London time (my boss is in London), elevation above MSL (I don't know if it uses current pressure or standard 29.92), steps/workout for the day. The graphs on either side are. a different representation of elevation.

 

[Vil_Riker]

My only criterion for an Apple Watch would be AFib detection. Not sure how accurate it is but have heard instances when heart problems were detected with the watch.

 

[HighHy21]

I got the apple watch SE because I didn't want a huge screen. I got the 40mm version.

And got a magnetic looped wrist strap from Amazon

 

[alarmguy]

My only criterion for an Apple Watch would be AFib detection. Not sure how accurate it is but have heard instances when heart problems were detected with the watch.

In your case the ECG might be of value as well. Should you feel something going on in your chest and you are determined to not go to the emergency room, at least you can do an ECG at that moment of strange sensation, then print it out in PDF form for the next time you go to your doctor. If you cant print you can simply save if as a PDF and show him your phone.

I have no less than 900 watch ECGs saved, showed my doctors about 24 of them, my print outs of chest discomfort, while already under their care. It sped up the resolution for more testing (48 hour halter monitor) and revealed a lot of PVCs, Had a scheduled cardiac ablation, in the hospital first thing in the morning, procedure fixed the heart electrical issues, was home by 6:30PM that night. Done, no heart damage. AFib is even more dangerous.

SO you know I am not blowing smoke. The electrophysiologist who did the ablation was thrilled with my watch printouts which started the ball rolling. That led to the Holter Monitor which recorded 24,000 PVCs over a 48 hour period. It was only because of my watch printouts the ay I went in and spoke to the caridologist NP that she ordered the 48 hour Holter to confirm what I was showing her. This all took place because I Was constantly complaining about odd sensations in my chest. But they primarily were happening at night and when in the office only occasionally. This is part of the report, minus my name and some other details.

Moral of the story of my posts, use the watch to be pro-active with your doctor if you feel nothing is being done fast enough. Be your own advocate, dont play doctor, just make and take the information to your doctor. I love all kinds of instrumentation. I know not everyone is into this stuff. Anyway, my watch reports led to me getting hooked up right away for 48 hours of monitoring on their equipment.

 

[Carmudgeon]

My only criterion for an Apple Watch would be AFib detection. Not sure how accurate it is but have heard instances when heart problems were detected with the watch.

The AW has received approvals for various medically-related functions, including AFib detection. However, keep in mind that these approvals are for specific purposes, and OTC/consumer-grade usage in general.

It isn't a substitute for a medical-grade tool, nor for a doctor's professional advice, but there is some proven utility in what it does, verified by different studies.

The Watch sort of started life as a product without a real "killer app" to set it apart and make it essential, but health/fitness tracking has developed into one of its callings.

Other devices, like the aforementioned Garmin products, are stronger for fitness-tracking purposes and have better battery lives, but are perhaps not as well rounded overall, and can't replicate the same level of integration as product siblings inside an ecosystem do.

 

[Arc]

Health Data is encrypted and stored in your iCloud account. You can also if you wish click to not have it sent there.
Last thing I would be concerned about is this. Bottom line data is stored on your phone and iCloud account.

However, yeah, I an kind of a privacy person and I do read the privacy notices and Apple gives many options to out of things with detailed explanations. I think more trustworthy than any apps we download "for free"

Here is a highlighted short statement from Apple. I have personally allowed health data to be used and also at times denied other aspects. You can if YOU CHOOSE let health data anonymously go into a data base to further help development and society. BY default any sharing is turned off unless you opt in. I choose at the present to stay out. Bottom line these arent Chinese owned servers and last thing I am concerned about. After all I do all my banking and payments to store through apps. Im not too concerned who might learn my heart rate or anything like it after all, the medical establishments in our country have been hacked and leaked far more information than my watch ever can.

Short statement I havent looked into it any more than this because Im not concerned with a US company like Apple.
https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204351#:~:text=Health information is stored in,iCloud and turn off Health.

Tracker control or an app like it is good for snooping on all apps and where your information actually goes. If anyone has a tracker app for a ring, watch etc it will send all your phone data to China. In the play store it even says data shared with third party. Mine was "smart health" or something like that. It works with many of the cheap Amazon and ebay fitness devices. Turning off GPS and data sharing was locked in the settings.

 

[walterjay]

Apple watch detected heart AFIB going on with my wife. This resulted in her consulting with doc and getting an ablation. Problem now solved.

 

[alarmguy]

@walterjay

Apple watch detected heart AFIB going on with my wife. This resulted in her consulting with doc and getting an ablation. Problem now solved.

Wow that is fantastic. As you know my story with PVCs.
Ablation is a fantastic procedure, pain free too. AFIB is the more serious of the two. it can dislodge plaque and result in stroke.
Best part is prompt treatment prevents or greatly limits any heart damage. Good for your wife. Great story besides all my own rants in here. Thanks for posting and glad to hear your wife is A-Ok!

 

[alarmguy]

Tracker control or an app like it is good for snooping on all apps and where your information actually goes. If anyone has a tracker app for a ring, watch etc it will send all your phone data to China. In the play store it even says data shared with third party. Mine was "smart health" or something like that. It works with many of the cheap Amazon and ebay fitness devices. Turning off GPS and data sharing was locked in the settings.

Apple apps are sandboxed making this highly unlikely to impossible. I say unlikely because I have no idea what kind of garbage someone might download onto an Apple device but you wont be able to download an app from the Apple Store that is not sandboxed.
"All third-party iOS applications must have a sandbox, and the sandbox prevents direct access to any other app's data"
Specifics here=
https://security.stackexchange.com/...-read-the-data-of-another-ios-app-maliciously

 

[Carmudgeon]

Along with the new models, WOS 26 brings hypertension detection*, which will also be backported to the S9 and Ultra 2.

*pending FDA approval

 

[dubber09]

I was on similar path....and got a Garmin. My wife loves her Apple watch, but I don't need all that. Garmin works good for me.

Also got a Garmin, 7X Sapphire Solar about a month ago when they were on 40 some percent off sale. Happy with it, it checked all the boxes I cared for. Battery life with just GPS on and not all the other extra positioning is about 30 days too. Didn't enable messages, don't care about music, it helps me monitor sleep.

 

[alarmguy]

Along with the new models, WOS 26 brings hypertension detection*, which will also be backported to the S9 and Ultra 2.

*pending FDA approval

Just another great feature to further help the human condition.
I’m just not sure about the word approval.

I think for some reason, the word clearance is used. Meaning the FDA reviewed it and cleared Apple/expected to clear Apple to advertise the watch with hypertension detection. It makes sense because the watch is not guaranteed to detect all hypertension.

I think the FDA only approves medical devices. But will give companies a clearance to advertise the device in a certain way for the consumer.

Once again, I’m probably thinking too much but I remember reading something about that when they git FDA clearance for the ECG function to be used as a one lead ECG.

Anyway, the hypertension will not be a perfect science, but one heck of a good step forward.
It will use an algorithm over 30 day period and alert you if things don’t seem right.
Here is an interesting article article, Apple expects 1 million people to be notified in the first year.

https://www.statnews.com/2025/09/09/apple-watch-health-tech-blood-pressure-hypertension/

 

[Carmudgeon]

Just another great feature to further help the human condition.
I’m just not sure about the word approval.

I think for some reason, the word clearance is used. Meaning the FDA reviewed it and cleared Apple/expected to clear Apple to advertise the watch with hypertension detection. It makes sense because the watch is not guaranteed to detect all hypertension.

I think the FDA only approves medical devices. But will give companies a clearance to advertise the device in a certain way for the consumer.

Yes, "clearance" is the proper term, and better describes the process.

Didn't mention the sleep score feature that's also new, but I've never tried using mine for that purpose.

 

[rstcso]

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 was officially announced yesterday.

 

[John105]

My 11 y.o. and wife just got the 2nd gen SE's and they are satisfied. Wife was under $170 and son was $219, as it has cellular. I don't have one and I prefer my Seiko automatic that's 1 min slow per day lol

 

[alarmguy]

Yes, "clearance" is the proper term, and better describes the process.

Didn't mention the sleep score feature that's also new, but I've never tried using mine for that purpose.

There were so many functions to this watch that you can’t possibly use them all, maybe better said it never gets boring. It’s good to hear from someone else regarding functions.

I do look at the sleep aspects of the app but I haven’t seen the sleep score feature yet but now I will check!

I’ve been challenging myself probably getting close to two decades now in taking care of my body as we only get one in life and it can’t be replacedand sleep is one thing that still evades me at times so the app helps me keep track.

A big improvement in my sleep has been with noise canceling earbuds, such as Bose and just recently since I messed up my Bose which I have had two sets for a number of years now. I picked up a super deal on Beats Fit Pro. I would call them adequate the noise canceling and small enough to sleep with if you position your head right on a pillow.

I used to listen to any kind of music I like a lot, but here is where I’m really gonna sounds nuts to some people. But I play Apple sleep music and I will fall asleep until the morning between the earbuds and the music. I’m not even sure if you call it music it’s just sounds….
However, most important is still the noise canceling earbuds as my wife sometimes snores

 

[alarmguy]

The cool thing about Apple is they’ve always supported past products for a long time.
I’m actually thrilled most of all the new features in watch 11 will also work on my Watch 9

So the coolest feature for me will be the hypertension alert feature when the update comes out. That’s pretty cool since I track all aspects of my heart to try to keep it in as good shape as I can. It’s just a feature, though I check my own blood pressure at home and anyone who does should continue because this feature will be based just on an algorithm and as Apple says it will not catch all hypertension.

So anybody with a 9 or 10 it doesnt feel like they’re missing out on anything except for any new styling choice. Which the 11 thinner.

 

[alarmguy]

My 11 y.o. and wife just got the 2nd gen SE's and they are satisfied. Wife was under $170 and son was $219, as it has cellular. I don't have one and I prefer my Seiko automatic that's 1 min slow per day lol

I love automatic watches, and also some of the eco watches. I have a few of them and I really miss wearing them, it’s really a piece of substantial jewelry anyway I can certainly understand what you’re saying.
Now I wear the Apple Watch 24 hours a day seven days a week and I would sorely miss the information it provides if I didn’t wear it. Yet compared to a mechanical watch I feel a bit like a drone.