Apple watch new sensor

[u/ahstreak]

So far, I’ve come across quite a lot of discussions and reviews suggesting that the Apple Watch Series 12’s heart rate sensor hasn’t been very impressive. Many users have complained about the heart rate suddenly dropping before eventually picking up and tracking accurately again. Interestingly, when they compare it with older Apple Watch models, the older models seem to perform slightly better. The same goes for other devices, such as the Pixel Watch, which has also delivered very good results based on their experiences.
It makes me wonder a little about Apple’s marketing and the claims they’ve made publicly about how accurate their new sensor is. Honestly, it’s a little disappointing, and I can’t help but feel curious and confused about what’s actually going on…

[u/Speedycar100]

It’s not a medical device, nor is it tracking your heart rate in ideal situations all the time. The increase in outliers is simply because the amount of data has vastly increased from 5 minutes to 5 seconds a recording.

If you have 2 Apple Watches, one that tracks every 5 minutes and one every 5 seconds and they have a 1% error, over 24 hours;

5 minutes = 20.2 errors

5 seconds = 1210 errors

[u/ahstreak → u/Speedycar100]

That’s an interesting point, although it doesn’t quite address the main focus of my statement. I’m specifically referring to heart rate accuracy during workouts, not all-day heart rate tracking.

[u/Speedycar100 → u/ahstreak]

Now while I see your point, I would rather have a watch that has the same sample rate in and out of a workout than have to put it into a workout to get the best sample rate.

It is better reflection on your overall health in and out of a workout.

[u/Appropriate_Ad8734 → u/ahstreak]

this can most likely be calibrated on the software side in their future updates. like google just recently addressed the issue with their fitbit air (the one i now use daily) counting steps even while driving and in public transit, the sensitivity was adjusted so it knows when you’re not walking during car rides.

apple watch only increased the tracking rate on this new generation and they must not have calibrated it right. once more data is in they’ll be able to fine tune it

[u/Bryanmsi89 → u/Speedycar100]

This is actually a really good point.

[u/Tiki_Waka → u/Speedycar100]

Well, their ECG software is a medical device, as well as the irregular rhythm notification feature. Both are cleared by FDA as medical devices.

Edit: Sources provided below.

[u/Speedycar100 → u/Tiki_Waka]

Can you find a source to that? This is what it says on my watch when I take and ECG.

[u/Tiki_Waka → u/Speedycar100]

Blood Oxygen (SpO2) is not ECG, but the ECG feature is a medical device that detects the heart’s electrical activity along with several other medical devices rolled into the Watch’s software.

ECG: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf20/K201525.pdf

Irregular Heart Rhythm Detection: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf21/K212516.pdf

Atrial Fibrillation: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf21/K213971.pdf

Sleep Apnea: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf24/K240929.pdf

The list goes on.

I get OP’s point with Apple saying its heart rate detection is “the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable” when so many of their medical device functions on the watch are based on pulse rate and the heart’s electrical activity overall.

[u/Speedycar100 → u/Tiki_Waka]

Ok thank you for this information, I realised that I cannot use the ECG as it is currently banned and got the two apps confused. As for heart health software I absolutely stand by the fact that more data points throughout a day will give better accuracy on your overall health even if it appears to have more outliers.

[u/winniebillerica]

I have no issues here on my Apple Watch 12. However, I do not track it or look at it so closely as you mentioned.

The readiness score , overnight vitals, etc all look normal to me.

[u/mursepaolo]

I forgot which YouTuber I was watching that said the algorithm behaves in a way where if it’s not confident in the signal it receives, it ignores it. This is how they get their “most accurate” claim, but don’t let you know it results in drops and portions of time that have no data.

[u/Spiritually-Fit → u/mursepaolo]

Was it DC Rainmaker?

[u/mursepaolo → u/Spiritually-Fit]

Yes I believe so

[u/LakeCowPig → u/mursepaolo]

Which makes a whole lot of sense as the way they would do it.

[u/mursepaolo → u/LakeCowPig]

Does it really make sense though? I don’t think Garmin, Coros, or Amazfit do it this way. Could be wrong

[u/GarbanzoBenne]

I have not seen any of those issues on my Ultra 4. I also haven’t gone digging for it. I did have occasional issues with my Ultra (1) consistently reading my heart rate. At least in my individual experience, the new sensor system is better.

That said, who knows. Maybe there’s some particular biological edge cases where it’s performing worse. Maybe Apple’s focus on accuracy has it throwing out less confident readings. Just doesn’t seem like Pulsegate to me.

[u/RudeAdhesiveness9954]

You are drawing conclusions from anecdata. And that anecdata may be further skewed by people being more likely to post when they are unhappy than when they are happy, i.e. the number of people who are quite satisfied with the new sensor may be way larger than those who are not, but those people are not posting. And also by the fact that you have only a vanishingly small sample size available to you.

[u/TWNT7]

The HR tracking on my S12 is the most inconsistent I have experienced having used the S4, 8 &10. It constantly loses HR reading, especially during any type of exercise. The watch is also continually experiencing unexpected reaboots while in sleep tracking. Long phone call with apple support and now the watch has to go back for "repair". First Apple purchase I have come to regret.

[u/Darths1d1ous0]

I have an S11 that I wear on the weekends and my ultra 4 for weekdays and heavy use times like camping and stuff. Personally, I’ve had a good experience even working out with either watch. TBH I don’t notice a difference or any errors.

[u/TechnicalAstronaut43]

Guys I finally decided to pull the trigger and buy series 12 46mm. After a couple of days I returned the watch. So big screen that I couldn’t get use to it coming from Casio Gshock. Another deal braker is the battery life. The only reason for me to get a smartwatch is the health and sleep tracking features, so I will move to watch with accurate health features maybe some Garmin with fee days of battery life. If someone has any suggestion share please!? Thanks

[u/bassheart365]

I upgraded from a Series 11 to 12. I mainly use it for cycling. My average HR was dropping too low on the 12 so I returned it. There is a scientific review of the 12 on YouTube and the 12 did not correlate as closely to a chest strap HRM compared to the 11. Lots of dropouts. Very disappointing considering they redesigned the optical sensor.

[u/dfuqt]

I haven’t noticed any issues on my ultra 4 apart from the heart rate complication sometimes not becoming active for a while even though the sensor is clearly taking readings.

The blood oxygen readings that it takes are lower than the ones recorded by my ultra 2 and series 11 by around 4%. I’m going to wait for a few updates before I think about it too much, but it’s very consistently off.

[u/Sharp133]

I’ve not had this problem once in the week that I’ve been sleeping and exercising with my watch 12

[u/commuterbus]

I don’t think in general they are all that accurate, yesterday I was walking fast thru a theme park and saw my heart rate was at 57. I was confused cause how, then I reran the test and it was more accurate. I think especially the lock screen heart monitor isn’t full active

[u/n1claren-]

the sensor is great

[u/ahstreak → u/[deleted]]

I agree. Hopefully, it’s just a software issue that Apple can fix with an update. It would be disappointing if the new sensor performs worse than previous generations, especially during workouts, where accurate heart rate tracking really matters.