watchOS 9 will bring medication tracking, new health and fitness features to the Apple Watch
CUPERTINO, Calif.-During the keynote presentation kickoff of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed the first details about the next major software update for the Apple Watch: watchOS 9.
The forthcoming OS makes a big push in health and fitness, adding a bevy of new features for both. On the Fitness front, Apple is expanding workout metrics to include heart rate zones, as well as some running-specific data. The Running activity mode will calculate vertical oscillation, stride length, ground contact time, and power (in watts), which you can see at a glance on your Apple Watch.
Users will also be able to race against previous times on frequent routes, aided by voice alerts for pacing. All activity modes will add heart rate zone data, as well. If you set an HR zone for your workout, you'll receive alerts indicating whether you're in or out of that zone. Users can also turn on the new Cardio Recovery feature to receive estimates on recovery times after tracking an outdoor walk, run, or hike. This is a feature that has long existed on Garmin's running watches.