Apple Watch Gets One Crucial Fitness Metric Wrong, Researchers Say

The Apple Watch provides highly close measurements of bosom complaint and measurement count, but their estimates of calories burned tin beryllium importantly off, according to a caller peer-reviewed meta-analysis conducted by researchers astatine the University of Mississippi (via CNET).


The survey reviewed 56 antecedently published studies evaluating the Apple Watch's show against gold-standard objective tools successful 3 halfway areas: bosom complaint monitoring, measurement number tracking, and vigor expenditure estimation.

The researchers reported debased mean implicit percent errors (a communal metric utilized to measure measurement accuracy) of 4.43% for bosom complaint and 8.17% for measurement counts. These autumn wrong the threshold mostly considered acceptable for consumer-grade fittingness devices. In contrast, the mean mistake for vigor expenditure was 27.96%, much than 3 times the borderline considered acceptable for close measurement.

The investigation incorporated information from studies spanning aggregate Apple Watch models and idiosyncratic groups. The precocious mistake borderline successful calorie estimation was accordant crossed each cohorts and forms of carnal activity.

These devices are large for keeping way of habits and staying motivated. But bash not instrumentality each fig arsenic 100% truth, particularly the calories. Think of it arsenic a adjuvant guide, not a diagnostic tool. It is utile but not perfect.

The findings align with erstwhile autarkic evaluations that person raised concerns astir the reliability of calorie pain estimates from consumer-grade wearable devices similar Apple Watches.

While the Apple Watch has undergone continuous generational improvements since its debut successful 2015, the researchers noted that adjacent newer models inactive grounds sizeable mistake successful calorie estimation. However, the survey did observe a inclination toward improved accuracy successful much caller models:

While we cannot accidental each update is simply a large leap forward, determination is simply a noticeable inclination of gradual improvements implicit time. It shows that Apple is refining the exertion implicit time.

The researchers emphasized that their investigation is not intended to discredit the inferior of wearables, but alternatively to clarify their limitations and pass some consumers and smartwatch makers.

By showing wherever the weaknesses are, we tin assistance developers get existent feedback. If they cognize what needs to beryllium fixed, they tin plan amended sensors oregon algorithms. Our findings tin usher improvements and assistance marque these devices much utile for some mundane users and wellness attraction providers.


Apple does not people the algorithms utilized successful Apple Watch fittingness tracking, nor does it assertion that the instrumentality provides clinical-grade vigor expenditure measurements. The institution has consistently positioned the Apple Watch arsenic a wide wellness instrumentality alternatively than a aesculapian diagnostic device, though it has introduced respective precocious wellness features successful caller years, specified arsenic assemblage somesthesia monitoring and slumber apnea detection.
This article, "Apple Watch Gets One Crucial Fitness Metric Wrong, Researchers Say" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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