They briefly mentioned Covid-19. How accurate is this for DETECTING a new infection in users? I'm guessing they would have drove that point home if it were accurate.
Low blood oxygen isn’t only related to COVID-19, they started on this feature long before that was even a thing. Not to mention FDA regulations, you can’t “detect” a virus based on a singular symptom.
I figured. Just thought Tim Cook would go overdrive on engineering to get it on the market ASAP.
The FDA would definitely hate any "detection" but I thought they could alert you on the possibility like a notification saying "You are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Tap here for details and recommended measures to take" To avoid violating laws.
That statement would be illegal. You cannot allow people to self diagnose disease with consumer electronics. Not sure how else to explain this.
How is that a diagnosis?
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
"There’s a face for that. Now you can easily discover and share custom faces for whoever you are and whatever you’re into — with all the information that matters most all in one place. Find your favorites on the App Store, the web, or social media."
Guys, is this new? I remember people asking for this feature since the first Apple Watch. Faces downloaded from App Store and most likely allowing us to create them and share.
Disregard if this isn't news.
This was known since WWDC. You can share or download face/complication/etc combos. Not 3rd party faces.
Anyone see showing their Series 6 wont be here until Sept. 29? WTF? I literally was refreshing the store like a madman and I just got a 44mm aluminum with sport band, nothing exotic. Why will it not be delivering on Friday like every other day one Apple Store purchase I make? This has never happened before.
Has anyone heard anything about in-store availability?
I am getting it no matter what (part of the every-other-year cycle). But I really wanted a battery life metric. Also, WTF was the lady talking about with “no power adapter”?
Rumor has it that there will be no charging adaptor in the new iPhones, so possibly no charging adaptor in the Watch Series 6, if so they still would have to include (I assume) the charging “puck”.
Yes, the charging puck is still included but no power adapter. I guess that's a good thing for those who always own an Apple product but what if it's a new customer and they receive the device and they can't charge it?
I am getting it no matter what (part of the every-other-year cycle). But I really wanted a battery life metric. Also, WTF was the lady talking about with “no power adapter”?
Rumor has it that there will be no charging adaptor in the new iPhones, so possibly no charging adaptor in the Watch Series 6, if so they still would have to include (I assume) the charging “puck”.
Yes, the charging puck is still included but no power adapter. I guess that's a good thing for those who always own an Apple product but what if it's a new customer and they receive the device and they can't charge it?
The phone would have come with a PSU so there's the solution. Plus who in the world doesn't have at least one USB charger, or a laptop/desktop with a USB socket?
My Apple Watch 5 is less than a year old and I'm tempted to upgrade to get the blood oxygen sensor.
Question: The article above mentions "sleep apnea" but the demonstrations of the oxygen sensor shown in the video today make the oxygen sensing feature look like an interactive process. This alone wouldn't really do much for sleep apnea sufferers because the greatest threat occurs when they are asleep. To be truly effective for sleep apnea detection the oxygen measurement should take place periodically and whenever the device detects the user has suddenly stopped breathing, is snoring, or is gasping for air. I didn't see anything in the video that talked about how this new sensor would potentially be employed for sleep apnea detection and monitoring.
Like everything else health related on the Apple Watch, it is not a substitute for the advanced diagnostics that are performed in a clinical setting under the care of a doctor or medical professionals. But it is a tool that can be used to alert you to a potential issue that requires further attention by a medical professional. I'm wondering how this model applies to the detection and treatment of sleep apnea used in conjunction with the Apple Watch 6.
Watch it again. They said it would take background readings throughout the day.
I’m upgrading from my 3 partially because I’m curious about sleep apnea. I just haven’t been able to figure if I want the new silicone loop or just the original sport band.
Thanks. That is good news. I keyed in on the on-demand part with the countdown timer on the video and missed the background sampling part.
I now see on the Apple.com website: "The remarkable new sensor and app in Apple Watch Series 6 allow you to take on-demand readings of your blood oxygen as well as background readings, day and night." That is a big deal.
Background readings are vital. Triggering background readings when an "event" occurs would be very important as well, but we won't really know what the watch can until we see this feature in action in the real world. I'm sure Apple tested it, but I'm also sure that Apple does not want to overstate its capabilities or set expectations too high. Some other health monitor band/watch companies have made claims about sleep apnea detection using other sensors, like pulse rate, but these claims don't seem to result in product features, which I suppose due to liability concerns. Apple is very very careful about making any health related claims.
Regarding at-home CPAP machines - the ones I've used do have a SIM card and, at times, a modem and telemetry, but the only thing they are recording is usage and pressure. It's mainly there to verify that you are using the machine. They don't have any other sensors. The reason ongoing oxygen monitoring is needed is because the pressure on the machine may have to be adjusted periodically, i.e., it may no longer be helping you. Getting everything set correctly requires an overnight sleep study, and these can cost thousands of dollars to administer. If the AW6 can tell you you may need a study it will serve a very important purpose.
They briefly mentioned Covid-19. How accurate is this for DETECTING a new infection in users? I'm guessing they would have drove that point home if it were accurate.
Low blood oxygen isn’t only related to COVID-19, they started on this feature long before that was even a thing. Not to mention FDA regulations, you can’t “detect” a virus based on a singular symptom.
I figured. Just thought Tim Cook would go overdrive on engineering to get it on the market ASAP.
The FDA would definitely hate any "detection" but I thought they could alert you on the possibility like a notification saying "You are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Tap here for details and recommended measures to take" To avoid violating laws.
That statement would be illegal. You cannot allow people to self diagnose disease with consumer electronics. Not sure how else to explain this.
How is that a diagnosis?
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
I still don't get how that's a diagnosis but maybe it's some word gymnastics. It's no more a diagnosis than the afib feature.
"There’s a face for that. Now you can easily discover and share custom faces for whoever you are and whatever you’re into — with all the information that matters most all in one place. Find your favorites on the App Store, the web, or social media."
Guys, is this new? I remember people asking for this feature since the first Apple Watch. Faces downloaded from App Store and most likely allowing us to create them and share.
Disregard if this isn't news.
This was known since WWDC. You can share or download face/complication/etc combos. Not 3rd party faces.
They briefly mentioned Covid-19. How accurate is this for DETECTING a new infection in users? I'm guessing they would have drove that point home if it were accurate.
Low blood oxygen isn’t only related to COVID-19, they started on this feature long before that was even a thing. Not to mention FDA regulations, you can’t “detect” a virus based on a singular symptom.
I figured. Just thought Tim Cook would go overdrive on engineering to get it on the market ASAP.
The FDA would definitely hate any "detection" but I thought they could alert you on the possibility like a notification saying "You are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Tap here for details and recommended measures to take" To avoid violating laws.
That statement would be illegal. You cannot allow people to self diagnose disease with consumer electronics. Not sure how else to explain this.
How is that a diagnosis?
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
Too bad they still use that ugly baby toy design. But I guess it’s targeted towards elderly as a survival device so it can look like crap
What must life be like, being so sour? Buy a Samsung hockey puck then, if that's what you're interested in. Why bother us about it?
I have several apple devices but I can’t stand the stupid design of the watch. My opinion. And I’m sorry you and many other on this forum don’t have any taste;)
Anyone see showing their Series 6 wont be here until Sept. 29? WTF? I literally was refreshing the store like a madman and I just got a 44mm aluminum with sport band, nothing exotic. Why will it not be delivering on Friday like every other day one Apple Store purchase I make? This has never happened before.
Has anyone heard anything about in-store availability?
When I bought my current iPad in the Apple Store last year it actually arrived at the store two days earlier than the projected/advertised availability date, and Apple let me purchase one. So you could try the same thing I did.
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
I still don't get how that's a diagnosis but maybe it's some word gymnastics. It's no more a diagnosis than the afib feature.
I think the reason for the confusion here is that there is a difference of opinion whether the statement "A is a symptom of B" implies that it sounds like you are being told you might have B. Some people would say it does imply that, and you think it doesn't imply that. Your point of view is one valid point of view, but so is the other point of view. Since there are some people who think it does imply a connection between the test and your specific health, the government doesn't want those people to be misled so they prohibit that kind of statement.
Furthermore, the AFIB feature was actually APPROVED by federal authorities as an approved diagnostic tool for AFIB. In Canada I had to wait until July 2019 before I would buy Apple Watch Series 5 because Apple couldn't enable the ECG feature or AFIB detection in Series 5 for any customers in Canada until the government of Canada approved its hardware for its purpose. There could still be countries in the world where Apple can't enable its ECG/AFIB features in Series 5.
On the subject of watch faces, I think there's another miscommunication here. I could be wrong, but I think you can "create" Watch faces using the different existing choices from Apple's wide selection and options, and share those faces with others. So in one sense you are "creating" a new Watch face. That might make you happy. But if your goal was to create a totally new Watch face, like a picture of your favourite politician, smiling and tapping his foot, then you would be unhappy.
My standalone pulse oximeter takes only 5 seconds to get a reading, while Apple's takes 30 seconds. Although I wouldn't have to manually enter my SpO2 reading into the iOS health app each time I take a reading. Still, 30 seconds is a disappointment. I'm not an Apple hater, I'm allowed to point out negatives like this however.
Do you carry your pulse oximeter with you everywhere you go?
They briefly mentioned Covid-19. How accurate is this for DETECTING a new infection in users? I'm guessing they would have drove that point home if it were accurate.
Low blood oxygen isn’t only related to COVID-19, they started on this feature long before that was even a thing. Not to mention FDA regulations, you can’t “detect” a virus based on a singular symptom.
I figured. Just thought Tim Cook would go overdrive on engineering to get it on the market ASAP.
The FDA would definitely hate any "detection" but I thought they could alert you on the possibility like a notification saying "You are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Tap here for details and recommended measures to take" To avoid violating laws.
That statement would be illegal. You cannot allow people to self diagnose disease with consumer electronics. Not sure how else to explain this.
How is that a diagnosis?
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
Seriously? “You are experiencing symptoms of ...” is just a factual statement. It’s not a “diagnosis.”
They briefly mentioned Covid-19. How accurate is this for DETECTING a new infection in users? I'm guessing they would have drove that point home if it were accurate.
Low blood oxygen isn’t only related to COVID-19, they started on this feature long before that was even a thing. Not to mention FDA regulations, you can’t “detect” a virus based on a singular symptom.
I figured. Just thought Tim Cook would go overdrive on engineering to get it on the market ASAP.
The FDA would definitely hate any "detection" but I thought they could alert you on the possibility like a notification saying "You are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Tap here for details and recommended measures to take" To avoid violating laws.
That statement would be illegal. You cannot allow people to self diagnose disease with consumer electronics. Not sure how else to explain this.
How is that a diagnosis?
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
It's one of many possible symptoms.
Read up.
I believe his point is that Apple won't say "You have COVID-19" simply because you have a symptom of COVID-19. That's a post hoc fallacy. Because of this, therefore that. It would simply tell you what symptom you have. It's like saying "You've fallen from a ladder" when the Watch detects a fall instead of saying it detects a fall. Sure, being up high on a ladder can lead to a fall, but there are countless other reasons. It's the problem with people using WebMD to self-diagnose based on a minimal symptom recognition.
i dont find an oxygen sensor particularly interesting or innovative. great they stuck one on a watch? so what. its decades old tech.
a temperature sensor i think would be more interesting.
but this would be a lot more complicated to implement as there are no agreed reference readings for a wrist temperature. but it would be impressive if Apple managed to find a way of doing this.
or they could pair the watch with a bluetooth rectal thermometer you could wear all day. well, thats what i think anyway.
i dont find an oxygen sensor particularly interesting or innovative. great they stuck one on a watch? so what. its decades old tech.
a temperature sensor i think would be more interesting.
but this would be a lot more complicated to implement as there are no agreed reference readings for a wrist temperature. but it would be impressive if Apple managed to find a way of doing this.
or they could pair the watch with a bluetooth rectal thermometer you could wear all day. well, thats what i think anyway.
They could just attach one to the stick you already have up there…
My Apple Watch 5 is less than a year old and I'm tempted to upgrade to get the blood oxygen sensor.
Question: The article above mentions "sleep apnea" but the demonstrations of the oxygen sensor shown in the video today make the oxygen sensing feature look like an interactive process. This alone wouldn't really do much for sleep apnea sufferers because the greatest threat occurs when they are asleep. To be truly effective for sleep apnea detection the oxygen measurement should take place periodically and whenever the device detects the user has suddenly stopped breathing, is snoring, or is gasping for air. I didn't see anything in the video that talked about how this new sensor would potentially be employed for sleep apnea detection and monitoring.
Like everything else health related on the Apple Watch, it is not a substitute for the advanced diagnostics that are performed in a clinical setting under the care of a doctor or medical professionals. But it is a tool that can be used to alert you to a potential issue that requires further attention by a medical professional. I'm wondering how this model applies to the detection and treatment of sleep apnea used in conjunction with the Apple Watch 6.
My recollection is that Apple did mention that the watch could measure Saturated Oxygen during sleep. I'm speculating that it would only require an application to manage the measurements and output.
Comments
“You are showing symptoms of Covid-19.” is a diagnosis. It could literally be any other reason their O2 levels are low. How is this not clear?
This was known since WWDC. You can share or download face/complication/etc combos. Not 3rd
party faces.
Yes, the charging puck is still included but no power adapter. I guess that's a good thing for those who always own an Apple product but what if it's a new customer and they receive the device and they can't charge it?
I now see on the Apple.com website: "The remarkable new sensor and app in Apple Watch Series 6 allow you to take on-demand readings of your blood oxygen as well as background readings, day and night." That is a big deal.
Background readings are vital. Triggering background readings when an "event" occurs would be very important as well, but we won't really know what the watch can until we see this feature in action in the real world. I'm sure Apple tested it, but I'm also sure that Apple does not want to overstate its capabilities or set expectations too high. Some other health monitor band/watch companies have made claims about sleep apnea detection using other sensors, like pulse rate, but these claims don't seem to result in product features, which I suppose due to liability concerns. Apple is very very careful about making any health related claims.
Regarding at-home CPAP machines - the ones I've used do have a SIM card and, at times, a modem and telemetry, but the only thing they are recording is usage and pressure. It's mainly there to verify that you are using the machine. They don't have any other sensors. The reason ongoing oxygen monitoring is needed is because the pressure on the machine may have to be adjusted periodically, i.e., it may no longer be helping you. Getting everything set correctly requires an overnight sleep study, and these can cost thousands of dollars to administer. If the AW6 can tell you you may need a study it will serve a very important purpose.
I still don't get how that's a diagnosis but maybe it's some word gymnastics. It's no more a diagnosis than the afib feature.
So you can't create your own? Ok damn.
Read up.
Furthermore, the AFIB feature was actually APPROVED by federal authorities as an approved diagnostic tool for AFIB. In Canada I had to wait until July 2019 before I would buy Apple Watch Series 5 because Apple couldn't enable the ECG feature or AFIB detection in Series 5 for any customers in Canada until the government of Canada approved its hardware for its purpose. There could still be countries in the world where Apple can't enable its ECG/AFIB features in Series 5.
On the subject of watch faces, I think there's another miscommunication here. I could be wrong, but I think you can "create" Watch faces using the different existing choices from Apple's wide selection and options, and share those faces with others. So in one sense you are "creating" a new Watch face. That might make you happy. But if your goal was to create a totally new Watch face, like a picture of your favourite politician, smiling and tapping his foot, then you would be unhappy.
a temperature sensor i think would be more interesting.
but this would be a lot more complicated to implement as there are no agreed reference readings for a wrist temperature. but it would be impressive if Apple managed to find a way of doing this.
or they could pair the watch with a bluetooth rectal thermometer you could wear all day. well, thats what i think anyway.