Apple releases watchOS 7.2 with better ECG and Apple Fitness+

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Apple Watch edited December 2020
Apple has released watchOS 7.2 to the public with an improved ECG function and support for Apple Fitness+.

Apple released watchOS 7.2 to the public
Apple released watchOS 7.2 to the public


Apple Watch software updates are usually coupled with changes to the iPhone or a new software feature. In this update, Apple improves the ECG function, adds the VO2 measurement, and brings Apple Fitness+ to the masses.

The update can be applied by opening the Watch app on the paired iPhone, followed by tapping My Watch, then General, then Software Update, then Install. Once downloaded, the app may request the passcode, with the installation taking place while the Apple Watch is on charge.

Alternately, the update can be performed directly on the Apple Watch by entering the Settings app, tapping General, then Software Update, then Install. Users with automatic updates will receive the update once it has downloaded and installed during the next available charging period.

Apple lists an update to the API for HealthKit that attaches to the ECG function. There are no details about what the update provides, but it will likely improve the ECG accuracy, potentially at higher heart rates.

This is the first known change to the algorithms used by ECG since its release with the Apple Watch Series 4.

Coupled with iOS 14.3, users can now see their Cardio Fitness measurement, which is captured by the Apple Watch's VO2 data. With this information, users can determine if they are receiving enough oxygen while working out.

This data can be found in the Health app, and is only recorded during workout sessions.

With the release, Apple Fitness+ is available for all users, and this update makes the Apple Watch able to access the service. Users who start a workout on their iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV will be prompted to begin on the Apple Watch.

You must have an Apple Watch to use Apple Fitness+, and the data obtained from the Watch is displayed on the device being used for the workout.

Apple's release notes include all changes made with the watchOS 7.2 update:

WatchOS 7.2 includes new features and improvements, including Apple Fitness+, a personalized fitness experience powered by Apple Watch. Additional features include new low cardio fitness notifications and support for braille displays. This update also contains performance improvements.

Apple Fitness+

  • A new fitness experience powered by Apple Watch with studio-style workouts available on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV
  • Video workouts added each week in ten popular workout types: High Intensity Interval Training, Indoor Cycling, Yoga, Core, Strength, Dance, Rowing, Treadmill Walking, Treadmill Running, and Mindful Cooldown
  • Fitness+ subscription available in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States

This update also includes the following features and improvements:

  • Option to be notified when your cardio fitness is at a low level
  • Ability to review your cardio fitness level based on your age and sex in the Health app on iPhone
  • Atrial Fibrillation classification at heart rates above 100BPM now offered in the ECG app in most regions where the app is available
  • Support for the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later in Taiwan
  • Support for braille displays with VoiceOver
  • Support for Family Setup in Bahrain, Canada, Norway, and Spain (Cellular models of Apple Watch Series 4 or later and Apple Watch SE)
Apple originally released watchOS 7 with new watch faces, a built in sleep tracker, and a handwashing timer. Updates since have included bug fixes and compatibility for the Apple Watch Series 6.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member

    It would be kind of useful, if you could get into the habit of listing build number along with version numbers.

    This is important, because sometimes Apple sneaks in a minor revision, only noticeable by looking at build numbers, and developers and others with access to prerelease builds often get release candidates no longer marked as beta software. It’s then key to know if one has actually the released version installed, and not just something “relatively close to it”

    So, please!
    razorpit
  • Reply 2 of 19
    MustSeeUHDTVMustSeeUHDTV Posts: 304member

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.

  • Reply 3 of 19
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Where in the hell is Fitness+ to be found? If Apple expects people to sign up THEY NEED TO SHOW US HOW TO DO THAT.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.
    razorpit
  • Reply 5 of 19
    DogpersonDogperson Posts: 145member
    There is no fitness measurement usable between jogging and wheelchair user. If you use a cane to walk, have arthritis and limited mobility, the only option is swimming and the pool has ice on it. Only 6 months til June and I can do workouts again. 


  • Reply 6 of 19
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    Beats said:
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.
    So the actual data which show that his O2 levels are 98-99% while working out with a mask means nothing to you compared to your uneducated opinion?

    got it.
    StrangeDaysbeowulfschmidt
  • Reply 7 of 19
    tvbtvb Posts: 2member
    Beats said:
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.

    They just posted data showing that it is. Spare us your YouTube-educated "expertise".
  • Reply 8 of 19
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member
    Beats said:
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.

    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.
    Link that confirms this with medical evidence that wearing a mask is unhealthy?
    fastasleep
  • Reply 9 of 19
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member

    Where in the hell is Fitness+ to be found? If Apple expects people to sign up THEY NEED TO SHOW US HOW TO DO THAT.
    It looks literally 1 second to google "apple fitness" and get the answer. It's in the...Fitness app


    fastasleep
  • Reply 10 of 19
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member
    Dogperson said:
    There is no fitness measurement usable between jogging and wheelchair user. If you use a cane to walk, have arthritis and limited mobility, the only option is swimming and the pool has ice on it. Only 6 months til June and I can do workouts again. 
    Of course there are. Try Walking, Hiking, or Other.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    MustSeeUHDTVMustSeeUHDTV Posts: 304member
    Beats said:
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.


    It's tough, but is a requirement if you want to step foot into a gym. Before COVID, I know people worn mask to supposedly strength their lungs (look up Oxygen Deprivation Training).

    Anyways, I was gaining a lot weight by not going to the gym and running outside was not cutting it. Plus my area has been too cold to run outside for a while.

    It looks like you have to turn on that feature, so I didn't any info from my workout yesterday. :(

  • Reply 12 of 19
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    SpamSandwich said:
    Where in the hell is Fitness+ to be found? If Apple expects people to sign up THEY NEED TO SHOW US HOW TO DO THAT.
    I had the same question. Seems that I hadn’t updated my phone to the latest iOS version, so it was just showing the same options as before. I assumed I needed to update the Fitness app, but that wasn’t it...
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 13 of 19
    DogpersonDogperson Posts: 145member
    StrangeDays said:
    Dogperson said:
    There is no fitness measurement usable between jogging and wheelchair user. If you use a cane to walk, have arthritis and limited mobility, the only option is swimming and the pool has ice on it. Only 6 months til June and I can do workouts again. 
    Of course there are. Try Walking, Hiking, or Other.
    Reading Skills are Underrated. Limited Mobility
    Limited Moblity
  • Reply 14 of 19
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    bageljoey said:
    Beats said:
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.
    So the actual data which show that his O2 levels are 98-99% while working out with a mask means nothing to you compared to your uneducated opinion?

    got it.
    Correct. If common sense tells you breathing in your own CO2 isn’t good then something is wrong with the data. Go put a bag over your head and workout then come back and tells us how that worked out for you cause AppleWatch said so.  :(
  • Reply 15 of 19
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,130member
    razorpit said:
    bageljoey said:
    Beats said:
    MustSeeUHDTV said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.
    So the actual data which show that his O2 levels are 98-99% while working out with a mask means nothing to you compared to your uneducated opinion?

    got it.
    Correct. If common sense tells you breathing in your own CO2 isn’t good then something is wrong with the data. Go put a bag over your head and workout then come back and tells us how that worked out for you cause AppleWatch said so.  :(
    "Common sense" tells me that putting "a bag over your head" is not the same thing as wearing a mask.  Not even close.
  • Reply 16 of 19
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    Haha. My wife has been anxious to try fitness+ on her AW3. The software update has failed several times for "insufficient space." She has no other apps, music or photos on it. Restart, try again. Still fails. The procedure is to unpair, setup as new, update, unpair, reinstall from the backup. This takes several hours. My wife's comment: "they did this to make me buy a new watch, didn't they?"

    She's not wrong. Change my mind.
  • Reply 17 of 19
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    Kind of ironic that updating an Apple Watch to use a fitness feature takes several hours...and results in being unable to complete a scheduled workout. How...motivating.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,022member
    I'm not sure if it's been reported elsewhere (I'm sure it has) but anyone else notice that battery life absolutely sucks with watchOS 7.2? I put my watch on at around 9:30am this morning and by around 8:30pm it is at 10%! I do a lot of walking/moving around throughout the day but that shouldn't alter battery life. I use to be at about 40% by the end of the day before this update.
  • Reply 19 of 19
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    razorpit said:
    bageljoey said:
    Beats said:

    Cool that it will track O2 level during a workout. With having to wear a mask during cardio, I was always curious to see my O2 level, but had to do that when I was on my cooldown. Even though I was tired, my O2 were usually higher than resting (by a percent or 2. Resting usually 97%, when working out 98-99%.


    As for Apple Fitness, not sure how long that will last. I can see people using the stream workout with all these stay at home stuff, but I still prefer the gym.


    Wearing a mask while working out can't be healthy.
    So the actual data which show that his O2 levels are 98-99% while working out with a mask means nothing to you compared to your uneducated opinion?

    got it.
    Correct. If common sense tells you breathing in your own CO2 isn’t good then something is wrong with the data. Go put a bag over your head and workout then come back and tells us how that worked out for you cause AppleWatch said so.  :(
    "Common sense" tells me that putting "a bag over your head" is not the same thing as wearing a mask.  Not even close.
    Not far off. Play a game of hockey with a face diaper on and tell us how that worked out for you.
    edited January 2021
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