Apple WatchOS 9 to Include Novel AFib History, Medication-Tracking Features
Apple on Monday at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) offered a first look at its upcoming watchOS 9 smartwatch operating system, slated to arrive this fall, and it includes some important new health and fitness features.
On the health front, watchOS 9 promises to deliver expanded atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection capabilities, a new Medications app to help you manage your prescriptions, and sleep stage tracking. Fitness-focused updates include new running-specific metrics, a Multisport workout type for triathletes, and heart rate zone data. WatchOS 9 also includes new watch faces to customize your Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch can already notify you if it detects signs of AFib, an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other serious complications. WatchOS 9 includes a new AFib History feature designed to help you track the frequency of this condition over an extended period of time. It will estimate how often your heart rhythm shows signs of AFib, and lifestyle factors that may influence it, such as sleep, alcohol consumption, and exercise. You'll also be able to generate a PDF of your AFib History to share with your doctor.
"Research suggests that the amount of time spent in AFib may impact a person’s symptoms, overall quality of life, and risk of complications," Apple wrote in a news release(Opens in a new window). "According to the American Heart Association, addressing modifiable lifestyle factors may decrease the amount of time spent in AFib."
Apple says the new AFib History feature is the first of its kind, and the company expects to receive FDA clearance for it "soon." It builds on the Apple Watch's already-impressive suite of potentially lifesaving tools,
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