Some Apple Watch Users Experiencing Issues With Inconsistent Heart Rate Data Following Update

Following the release of Watch OS 1.0.1 on Tuesday, Apple Watch users have been noticing a problem concerning the frequency with which the Apple Watch sends heart rate data to the iPhone. Prior to the update, the Apple Watch sent heart rate information to the iPhone’s Health app every 10 minutes, but now some users are seeing inconsistent update times.

As highlighted by everythingiCafe on Wednesday, Apple Watch owners on the MacRumors forums and Apple’s Support Communities have been complaining that their Apple Watches are sending data sporadically, with gaps up to eight hours in some cases.

Before update on left, after update on right. Image via MacRumors forum member twisted-pixel.
Many of the users are still seeing occasional updates to the Health app, but at unpredictable intervals that are not as frequent as the previous 10 minute update intervals, and some are also seeing duplicate readings. This bug is not affecting all users, as some people are still reporting regular data transfers, but for the users experiencing issues, unreported heart rate data seems to be irretrievable.

I also noticed that my heart rate data in the health app for about a week period is gone and my heart rate data is now updating into the app intermittently. I spoke with Apple customer service this morning, but data could not be restored and their advice was to restart both the iPhone and the Watch, clean the sensor back, and keep an eye on it. That, unfortunately, has not fixed anything and I think there might be a bigger problem on our, er, hands (or wrists).

For those unaware, the heart rate information collected by the Apple Watch’s sensors is aggregated in the Health app on the iPhone, giving users a picture of their overall heart health throughout the day. With consistent 10 minute readings, the iPhone is able to provide clear and consistent data that wearers can share with doctors and use to make health evaluations.

Data that is sent sporadically is less useful for these purposes, causing this bug to significantly impact the health tracking abilities of the Apple Watch for users who are affected.

Some individuals experiencing issues have said that restarting their devices temporarily solves the problem, but the sporadic measurement times return shortly after. On the Apple Support Communities, one affected user who spoke with Apple suggested that his Apple Watch stopped sending heart rate measurements when he was actively moving.

Apple is collecting information from users who call in with the issue, and some have been told that the company is working on a fix.

OS X 10.11 Could Feature Control Center, ‘Rootless’ Security and More, iOS 9 to Support A5-Based Devices

While OS X Yosemite introduced several new high-profile features, such as Handoff, iCloud Drive and Instant Hotspot, the focus of OS X 10.11 will be on improved stability and performance, new security features and system-wide interface tweaks, according to a lengthy report by 9to5Mac.

OS X 10.11 is still expected to gain a handful of noteworthy features, including a systemwide change to Apple Watch font San Francisco and a new Control Center menu similar to iPhone and iPad. Control Center was originally found in early betas of OS X Yosemite, but was not included in the final release.

“Control Center moves many of the controls from the Mac’s Menu Bar to a pane that slides out from the left side of the Mac’s display, adding on-screen music controls and other iOS-influenced features,” the report claims. “However, Control Center reportedly has been in flux during development, and could be pushed back again.”

A possible first look at Control Center for Mac on OS X from 2014
Apple is also reportedly working on a major new kernel-level security system called “Rootless” for OS X and iOS that will help curb malware and protect sensitive data by prohibiting users from accessing certain protected files on Mac and iOS devices. “Rootless” appears to be a permanent feature of iOS, much to the chagrin of the jailbreaking community, but can likely be disabled on OS X.

Apple plans to enhance security one step further by converting many of its core IMAP-based applications on OS X and iOS, such as Notes, Reminders, and Calendar, to have an iCloud Drive backend. Apple expects there to be increased iCloud usage after the transition, so the company is reportedly upgrading its iCloud Drive and CloudKit servers to handle the additional load.

“With iOS 9 and OS X 10.11, Apple plans to transition this sync process to iCloud Drive, which offers better end-to-end encryption and faster syncing than traditional IMAP servers. As an example of how this will work, when a user launches Notes in either of the new Apple operating systems, a splash page offering to move content from the IMAP server over to iCloud Drive will appear, making the transition easy for users.”

The company is also testing a new “Trusted Wi-Fi” feature that would enable Macs and iOS devices to connect to trusted wireless routers with no additional security measures, while non-trusted routers would have a heavily encrypted wireless connection. Apple could release the feature later this year or hold off until next year’s OS X and iOS releases, according to the report.

iOS 9 will reportedly support A5-based devices such as the iPhone 4s and iPad mini
Apple is also said to be optimizing iOS 9 to better support older hardware, with the report claiming that even legacy A5-based devices including the iPhone 4s and original iPad mini will be compatible with the upcoming software update. The three-year-old iPad Air 2 and fifth-generation iPod touch, released in March 2012 and October 2012 respectively, are also powered by Apple A5 chips.

“Apple is now building a core version of iOS 9 that runs efficiently on older A5 devices, then enabling each properly performing feature one-by-one. Thanks to this new approach, an entire generation (or two) of iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches will be iOS 9-compatible rather than reaching the end of the iOS line.”

Last, Apple is said to be preparing a major upgrade to its Swift programming language with “Application Binary Interface (ABI)” stability. Swift applications updated for iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 will have preinstalled code binaries that require less space and use less cellular data. The report claims that Apple plans to convert its own apps to Swift in 2016 as part of iOS 10 and OS X 10.12.

Apple Watch Orders Estimated to Average 30,000 Per Day in U.S. After Initial Surge

An estimated 2.5 million Apple Watch orders have been processed in the United States in the first five weeks of availability, according to Slice Intelligence (via Quartz). Extrapolating from the e-receipts of about 14,000 online shoppers who use Slice’s services, more than half of the orders placed so far came on April 10, the first day of pre-orders, with the Apple Watch averaging 30,000 orders per day since.

Daily Apple Watch order estimates in U.S. (first-day orders of nearly 1.5 million omitted)
As Quartz points out, the Apple Watch saw a notable rise in order interest on April 24, the day most initial Apple Watch pre-orders that weren’t high in demand, like the Leather Loop or Black Sport band, began arriving to customers. Social media posts and word of mouth that day no doubt helped Apple receieve a few extra orders, and it reaches back up to around 40,000 on a few days in April and May, but otherwise Apple’s new wearable has seen a steady decline in order numbers since its launch date, according to the e-commerce shopping firm.

Even with the steep decline following the start of pre-orders, Apple Watch sales are easily outpacing early sales of the iPod and iPhone, and slightly topping those of the iPad, although Apple’s continually increasing user base since the debut of those devices gives the company momentum for each subsequent product family launch.

Slice Intelligence’s Apple Watch update today comes a few weeks after providing a break down of initial pre-orders for the wearable, which pegged 62 percent of customers as having pre-ordered the Apple Watch Sport and an unexpected popularity of the Space Gray case and Black Sport band. As with that data, a few factors should be taken into account when looking at Slice Intelligence’s order estimates, including its data being limited to the United States and the relatively small pool of customer receipts examined.

Today’s report also falls in line with KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s prediction of the Apple Watch order demand beginning to slow down following a high launch period. Although Apple has yet to announced any sales numbers for the Apple Watch and doesn’t plan to break the device out into its own reporting segment in financial results, the Apple Watch’s entry into the company’s upcoming brick-and-mortar retail locations in June could help boost the wearable’s sales figures.

Apple’s Desire to Include Local Stations in Streaming TV Service Could Delay Launch Beyond WWDC

Apple’s desire to provide customers with live programming from local broadcasting stations in the United States could delay the company’s plans to launch a streaming TV service in early fall, according to Re/code. The report also cites industry executives that do not believe Apple has reached any content deals with TV programmers yet, making it unlikely that the web-based TV service is announced at WWDC next month.

“Apple’s ambitions have complicated its negotiations with the broadcast TV networks, because most broadcasters don’t own all their local stations, and have an affiliate, or franchise system. Clearing the rights to show local programs and commercials takes some time — ABC, for instance, spent two years getting the rights to show live programming via its Watch ABC app, and its live streams remain limited to viewers in eight cities.”

The Wall Street Journal reported in March that Apple plans to unveil its streaming TV service at WWDC, anchored by popular networks such as ABC, CBS, Fox, ESPN and FX. The web-based TV service for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and other devices is expected to deliver a lightweight package of about 25 channels for between $30 to $40 per month. The report claimed that the service will be available in September.

Apple Store App for iOS Updated Touch ID Support, Two-Step Verification [iOS Blog]

Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS to version 3.3, adding additional security and convenience features to the app. There’s now a “Touch ID” option in the Account section of the app that allows users to enable Touch ID for viewing orders, accessing EasyPay receipts, and making reservations at an Apple Store.

Previously, these sections of the app required an Apple ID password to be input whenever they were accessed, but now the app will ask for Touch ID verification in lieu of a password when Touch ID is toggled on. Before the update, Touch ID usage was limited to Apple Pay for making purchases, but with the expanded Touch ID capabilities, accessing various sections of the app to get order information is much quicker.

Accessing features like EasyPay Receipts before update on left, after on right
Today’s update also adds support for two-step verification within the Apple Store app.

What’s New in Version 3.3
– Use Touch ID to view orders, access EasyPay receipts, and make reservations at an Apple Store.
– Support for two-step verification, giving you extra security for your Apple ID.

Apple’s Apple Store app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Activité Pop Review: Hands-On With Withings’ Simple and Stylish $149 Activity Tracker [iOS Blog]

The Apple Watch is fantastic because it lets you receive notifications, communicate with friends, access apps from your iPhone, and record a wealth of activity-related data, but it’s also a device that requires a heavy amount of interaction.

It demands that you look at your wrist when you receive a notification, it taps you on the arm when you’re not standing up every hour, and it often reminds you about your fitness goals. It needs to be charged every night and it has to be taken off with every shower, so in short, it’s not a device you can slap on your wrist and forget about.

For that reason alone, not even taking cost into account, the Apple Watch is not a device that’s suitable for everyone. There are many people who may prefer smart devices and activity trackers that require far less interaction and our Withings Activité Pop review is aimed at those people.

The Activité Pop is almost the exact opposite of the Apple Watch. Where the Apple Watch commands your attention, the Pop unobtrusively integrates itself into your life — you don’t need to charge it, it’s waterproof so it can be worn at all times and never removed, and you only need to glance at it when you want to know the time or your progress towards your daily movement goal.

Design

The Activité Pop has a gender neutral design that harkens back to the simple plastic analog Swatch watches that were popular in the 80s and 90s. It’s a modern take on a classic watch with clean lines and colors that fit a range of tastes: Bright Azure, Shark Grey, and Wild Sand. The Pop is monochrome — watch faces match watch bands.

With the blue watch, for example, the face and band are both blue, giving it an understated look that’s not going to draw attention to your wrist. The available colors are benign enough to match most outfits, and the tasteful design doesn’t stick out at the gym or at the office.

I have a small wrist (137mm or about 5.4 inches) and the Pop fit well (if a bit loose) on the second-to-last wrist band hole. The watch face did not look overly large on my wrist, nor did it look too small on someone with a larger wrist. I found it to be similar in size (33mm) to the 38mm Apple Watch, but slightly wider and shorter due to the round face.
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New 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro Lives Up to Apple’s Claims, Reaches SSD Throughput Speeds of 2GB/s

Apple’s new 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, unveiled on Tuesday, didn’t include a processor upgrade due to Broadwell delays, but it did get a Force Touch trackpad and one other major improvement — new PCIe-based flash storage that Apple says is 2.5 times faster than the flash storage in previous-generation machines, with throughput up to 2GB/s.

In benchmark testing conducted by French site MacGeneration [Google Translate], the entry-level 2.2GHz 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and 256GB of storage lived up to Apple’s claims, demonstrating impressive read/write speeds that topped out at 2GB/s and 1.25GB/s, respectively, in QuickBench 4.0.

Those read/write speeds far exceed the read/write speeds achieved by the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air, which also received faster flash storage that doubles the speeds available in previous-generation 13-inch MacBook Air machines. The 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro’s performance is similar to the 13-inch MacBook Air.

At speeds that reach 2GB/s throughput, the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro has the fastest storage of any of Apple’s notebooks. It took 14 seconds to transfer an 8.76GB file to the machine, compared to 32 seconds for the slower Retina MacBook. With small files, read/write speeds exceed a gigabyte per second.

Like the 2015 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air, the revamped 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro uses a solid state drive manufactured by Samsung. As noted by MacGeneration, it does not use the faster NVM Express SSD protocol that the 13-inch model was updated to, suggesting future machines could see even greater performance improvements with a swap to the next-generation protocol and with continued leaps in SSD technology.

Apple’s 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro is available from the online Apple Store at prices that start at $1,999. The notebooks continue to use Haswell processors, but should see performance boosts due to the faster solid state drives.