Handwashing development was perfectly timed for watchOS 7 says Apple VP

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in Apple Watch
Apple VP of Human Interface Design Alan Dye has spoken about watchOS 7 in an interview, including the conception of the highlight handwashing feature and the coincidence of its development timing.

watchOS 7's handwashing timer.
watchOS 7's handwashing timer.


Since the launch of the new Apple Watch models and the release of the operating system, Dye claimed Apple has received "very positive" feedback so far from users during an interview on the Hodinkee Radio podcast. "We keep a close eye on those things," the VP said, before declaring "We're busy thinking about what's next, but so far it's been lovely to hear such a positive responses from everything, from the updates to hardware to all the work we've been doing on watchOS 7."

There's "especially love" for the new watchfaces, with a lot of "positive feedback" for the additions.





When asked about where Apple comes up with its ideas and features, Dye says a lot of it comes from shipping software and getting it in the hands of users. "Often times it takes our software getting out into the world, in order to uncover some of these things, or even just notice different patterns or trends or ways that people actually use our products that we didn't anticipate."

"In such a great Apple soft of way," Dye mentions how there was a team thinking about hand-washing "quite a few months ago," and they apparently they had a "deep understanding" of how they could determine if a person is properly washing their hands through motion data and sound.

The work wasn't from feedback from consumers, but "we saw what was happening in the world and we scrambled to come up with a UI and experience that would encourage users to wash their hands for 20 seconds." Dye says he's proud of Apple's response to the problem.

Though the design process is a "conversation" between different teams discussing what features and capabilities are possible with the platform, Dye suggests that Apple probably would have arrived at a similar solution under its own steam anyway. However, as there was a team that was "after for a while, but the timing really worked out quite well, and we did hustle to get it in for this release because we knew how important it could be."

The interview also touches upon the new features including the watchfaces, how Apple designs its faces while taking inspiration from other established watch faces, and where it balances providing data to users with having a well-designed and modular face.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,877member
    I really enjoy having this feature since I don't sing songs or count in my head when washing my hands. I only wish the haptics on it were stronger so I don't have to keep looking at it to see if it's been 20 seconds yet.
    robin huberBeatsmike1JinTech
  • Reply 2 of 18
    Agree, haptics & sound need to be stronger. Saves me time; my old singing of Happy Birthday twice was too long—appreciate the accurate 20 seconds. 
    mike1JinTech
  • Reply 3 of 18
    I kinda wish it would not time my hand washing when its geolocation shows I’m at home. Sometimes I’m just rinsing something off and I get guilted for only doing a ten-second hand wash. 🙂
    Beatselijahg
  • Reply 4 of 18
    This feature was novel the first 5 or 6 times. I now have it toggled off - mostly because it kept self-launching when all I was doing was rinsing a coffee mug or a spoon. 
  • Reply 5 of 18
    Rather spend a fraction of that blatter and $$billions on 1.5m detection
    edited October 2020 lkrupp
  • Reply 6 of 18
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    For those who think Apple develops stuff in weeks (Someone once told me HomePod was developed in 4 months), here's a good example of how long things take in reality.

    Sticking it to the idiots who think iPhone was developed in less than a year.
    lkrupp
  • Reply 7 of 18
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    So we need an app to show us how to wash our hands? My mother taught me how to wash my hands when I was 4 years old. There is no hope for the “first world” So, if someone uses the app to wash their hands and contracts the virus anyway will they sue Apple for causing the infection via a defective app.
    edited October 2020 MacQuadra840avmuthuk_vanalingamcat52razorpit
  • Reply 8 of 18
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    I kinda wish it would not time my hand washing when its geolocation shows I’m at home. Sometimes I’m just rinsing something off and I get guilted for only doing a ten-second hand wash. 🙂
    Agreed. It’s a shame they tied the geolocation to the timer. I can count to twenty, but I sometimes breeze past the handwash Mrs Ray2016 has left next to the door. 
  • Reply 9 of 18
    Many reviews say it rarely activates since it listens for running water and tries to detect hand motion.  But if you need a watch to tell you how to wash your hands, you’ve got bigger problems.  We all learned as children how to wash.  
    Hank2.0maltzcat52
  • Reply 10 of 18
    Hank2.0Hank2.0 Posts: 151member
    20 second hand washing, what's next? How about a reminder to wash hands before leaving a restroom? Or a reminder to flush the toilet? A warning if too much toilet paper is being used? This is such a fertile field for Apple. Every new watch series will have a new feature for years.  :D
    cat52
  • Reply 11 of 18
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    The virus that causes COVID-19 can last up to 28 days on surfaces like Apple watch.

    I’m so disappointed every time I watch the Apple watch hand washing advertisement in that the Apple watch is not washed.

    the coronavirus on the Apple watch surface will contaminate your index finger tip at no time after you wash your hands in the advertisement way.
    edited October 2020 cat52
  • Reply 12 of 18
    Except that this doesn’t work. As soon as water hits the watch face, it goes bonkers. Great idea A+ Actual execution F. Don’t even get me started on the new Oximeter! Disaster. 
  • Reply 13 of 18
    I love the hand washing thing. Ok, it's a bit of a gimmick, but 'game-ifying' useful activities and providing a measure of a 'reward' at the end of them is always a good nudge to get people to do things that are good for them.

    Mind you, the process isn't completely foolproof on the watch - I was scrubbing a frying pan under the kitchen tap this afternoon and the watch interpreted my motions and the sound as hand washing! No harm done, of course, and I found it amusing.
  • Reply 14 of 18
    digitol said:
    Except that this doesn’t work. As soon as water hits the watch face, it goes bonkers. Great idea A+ Actual execution F. Don’t even get me started on the new Oximeter! Disaster. 
    Oh - you purchased a new Apple Watch?  Which model?  Since it was a disaster, did you return it?

    Our Series 4 & Series 5 do just fine with the hand washing piece.  Series 6 will arrive this week and I'll be using the O2 sensor.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    lkrupp said:
    So we need an app to show us how to wash our hands? My mother taught me how to wash my hands when I was 4 years old. There is no hope for the “first world” So, if someone uses the app to wash their hands and contracts the virus anyway will they sue Apple for causing the infection via a defective app.
    This “feature” is for the crowd that feels the need to update their twitter and facebook profile pic to one with them wearing a mask.
  • Reply 16 of 18
    ivanh said:
    The virus that causes COVID-19 can last up to 28 days on surfaces like Apple watch.

    I’m so disappointed every time I watch the Apple watch hand washing advertisement in that the Apple watch is not washed.

    the coronavirus on the Apple watch surface will contaminate your index finger tip at no time after you wash your hands in the advertisement way.
    Where's Myth Busters when you need them.
    razorpit
  • Reply 17 of 18
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,022member
    Like many Apple Watch features. I find when I am not wearing my watch, I wash my hands longer than I use to. Like remembering to stand for a bit at least once an hour if I am at home relaxing or remembering to do breathing exercises. It's very easy because Apple make things so repetitive and momentaneous that it just becomes second nature.
  • Reply 18 of 18
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2020/CSIRO-scientists-publish-new-research-on-SARS-COV-2-virus-survivability

    “Wash your Apple watch every time you wash your hands.” - an ethical ad should show.
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