In June 2020, my column in these pages, “Fast Walking Through the Corona Crisis,” included a discussion on my Apple watch. At the time, I was impressed to discover how it could record our physical movements, and how it used our past experience to inspire us to be more active. Even though we faced daily challenges during the early days of the pandemic, there were still opportunities to be found, if we looked for them.
Although no longer bound by the constraints of the pandemic, I remain impressed with how technology can provide us with opportunities and advantages. Most importantly, I’ve also learned about its lifesaving features which accrue to all of us, especially those who are limited in their ability to move about. Here are the highlights:
Instant Emergency Notification was a Godsend for my wife after her recent stroke. When I was in the backyard, she fell out of her wheelchair while reaching for a book, and her watch immediately reacted. Because she was not hurt, she could dismiss the SOS and instead proceed with one more click to call me instantly so I could help. Because her watch was cellular-enabled, she didn’t need to be near her iPhone and could talk to me on her watch while I hurried there. And even if she had been without cellular service, her watch could have automatically called 911 via a satellite connection! This was definitely a case of having potentially life-saving technology within arm’s reach – a benefit you hope never to have to use but can be very grateful to have.
Constant Activity Tracking remains my most used feature though. I enjoy monitoring my progress concisely with the now-familiar three rings that close if I reach my daily goals. For example, when I took a screen shot of my watch at 7:26 am four years ago, I was just short of my 720 calorie burn goal, but as I write this article at 1:10 pm, I’m over my calorie goal considerably. And on the moment that I exceed my goals, I get a noticeable tap on the wrist. It’s a subtle reminder that I’m doing well, and that I can stop for a minute and recognize that it’s good to be active and meeting my goals.
Monthly Challenges now encourage me to stretch myself to satisfy them. A clever Apple algorithm derives these challenges from my past activity and posts them on the first day of each month. In May, for example, I was challenged to close all three rings 23 times and I made it a mission to meet that goal!
Yearly Activity is summarized continuously on my iPhone, along with a commentary, for example, praising me for upping my calorie burn over the year or advising me to burn at least 1265 calories for the next 13 weeks to maintain my annual average of 1262 calories/day. It also saves Multi-year Activity in the iCloud, where it chronicles notable accomplishments in the sections entitled “Workout” and “Limited Edition Challenges.”
A Competitive Boost is just what the doctor (should have) ordered, and that’s what my watch constantly provides. At 5 pm today, for example, I noticed that I had only consumed 1014 calories, well short of the 1265 calories that I was advised to attain, and only 3% ahead of my friend Victoria. So, I was compelled to go out and exercise (trimming trees) until I “won.” That’s yet another compelling, life-enhancing advantage of this particular piece of technology, that has served 250 million people and me so well over the past eight years.