Sunday Runday
In this weekly columnMichael Hicks, Wearables Editor at Android Central, talks about the world of wearables, apps, and fitness technology related to running and health, in your quest to be faster and fitter.
WWDC 2024 starts tomorrow, June 10, and iPhones are about to be flooded Apple Intelligence (AI, get it?), according to a major leak. Given Google and Samsung’s pivot to AI, it’s not surprising for the brand. Personally, I am Less interested in the industry’s AI shift. and more intrigued by what Apple Intelligence could mean for Apple Fitness.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurmanwho leaked the long list of AI functions that will come to WWDC 2024promises that Apple will announce “major” changes to the Fitness app, along with health changes like “better blood pressure data management” and “cycle tracking.”
It doesn’t specify what major AI changes Fitness will receive, but I’m looking at Samsung’s. recent Galaxy AI fitness announcement for tracks. The South Korean company promised a daily energy score, AI wellness tips for weight loss and other life goals, and personalized workout routines for the Galaxy Watch 7.
Why mention this? Because I suddenly find Samsung’s timing suspicious. Why reveal this in May when the new Galaxy Watch won’t ship until August? Perhaps Samsung assumed Apple would announce similar AI fitness tricks at WWDC 2024 and wanted to be the “first” to reveal them.
My Apple Fitness is supposed to add its own “daily fitness” score, following in the footsteps of Fitbit, Garmin, Oura and other brands. It has all the data you need, from sleep stages and resting heart rate to stress and activity tracking. You simply need a sufficient algorithm to interpret that data correctly.
Apple Fitness Plus already offers some of the best guided at-home workouts, but Siri may be able to start directing you to specific routines based on your fitness level, muscle map, and tiredness. It may be able to tell you if you have the strength to complete a second workout, based on your heart rate data during the first workout.
My personal hope is that Apple Intelligence can suggest daily running or cycling workouts by time, duration, and pace, based on your VO2 max. garmin watches can. For example, you might recommend a harder pace when you’re well-rested and then a light jog the next day.
Or, Apple could take a more Fitbit-like approach, recommending you hit a certain number of active zone minutes per day based on your energy level. Apple could make its daily rings more dynamic, adjusting your movement and standing goals as needed so you improve but don’t overtrain.
I have I used the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for months on and off, and I’m quite pleased with its accuracy for GPS, steps, elevation, and other tests I’ve done. Samsung promised that its Galaxy AI pivot would offer “improved health algorithms” for “greater precision and accuracy,” so it’s possible Apple could improve even further.
But accurate data during a workout is not enough. Apple and Samsung must demonstrate that they can understand and process that data to create a personal profile and guide you on the right path. Sport watch Brands like Garmin, COROS and Polar have built their brands and loyal followings on their ability to train you based on your skills rather than assigning you a generic 30-minute training ring to close.
Apple probably intends to turn its AI into a fitness trainer, just like Samsung does. And it’s an exciting development! I’ve been waiting for more mainstream smartwatches to try training. The question will be whether any of the brands can pull this off and provide the right advice to both 5Kers and the right athletes.
He Pixel clock 2 It’s a rare mainstream watch that has training, thanks to Google’s acquisition of Fitbit, but Fitbit’s most recent updates have focused on new health sensors. We haven’t seen many updates from Fitbit training dwarves. The Galaxy Watch 7 and Apple Watch X entering the fray would challenge Google to innovate and give consumers more at-home workout options.
Or maybe I’m misunderstanding the “major” Apple Fitness changes that are coming and we won’t get them. any Apple Intelligence Updates. We’ll find out tomorrow at WWDC 2024 whether Apple is evolving or falling behind.