It looks like the Apple Watch may be encouraging some users to make
healthy lifestyle changes. A new survey by the company Wristly suggests
that the wearable is making users think more about their health and
having them make small lifestyle changes to help improve that health
through movement.
The biggest change comes when it comes to
standing. The Apple Watch is set up to gently remind you whenever you’ve
been sitting for longer than an hour, with a goal of standing for at
least one minute during 12 separate hours of the day. According to the
group’s survey of 1000 Apple Watch users, 75% of respondents said that
gentle push was working and they “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” that
they’re standing more now that they’ve tarted wearing the Apple Watch.
While
the biggest change in behavior has come in the form of walking, the
Watch has also had an impact on other elements of user’s heath. 67% of
respondents also claim that the Watch has encouraged them to walk more,
ad 57% of people who participated in the survey sad that they exercise
more since they purchased the wearable.
Throughout the day, the Apple Watch encourages you to complete three
different activity rings. A small blue ring represents the number of
hours you’ve stood, a green inner ring represents each minute of
exercise you’ve gotten (with a goal of 30 minutes), and a large outer
ring counts the number of calories you’ve burned each day due to
movement. The goal, of course, is to complete all three rings each day.
The Watch makes gentle reminders about your progress throughout the day
to keep you on track, and when you’re successful you can earn activity
badges to commemorate your progress.
The majority of respondents,
89%, said that they were satisfied with the Activity app that simply
tracks your movement throughout the day. In addition to the Activity
app, the Apple Watch also has a Workout app where you can engage in a
specific type of workout and track your progress during it. For
instance, you can go on an “Outdoor Walk” using the Watch and set a
calorie goal before you begin. As you walk, the Watch will let you know
how you’re progressing toward your goal as well as give you updates on
how far you’ve traveler, your pace, and your heart rate
during the Workout. In addition to walking there are quite a few other
built-in sports supported by the app including indoor cycling,
elliptical use, and stair steppers. 75% of survey respondents said they
were satisfied with the Workout app.
The key to getting any
fitness benefits from the Apple Watch is to wear it consistently. 86% of
people who participated in the survey said that they still wear their
Watch everyday, something that you’ll have to do if you want to see any
long term progress with goals such as basic movement and standing.
In
addition to polling customers about their use of the Watch, Wristly
also recently conducted a customer satisfaction survey on the Apple
Watch. From that survey it determined that a whopping 97% of customers are satisfied with the wearable. Some of the most satisfied customers in fact are mainstream consumers rather than tech enthusiasts.
If
you’re just getting started with fitness and the Apple Watch you have a
lot more apps to choose from than just Apple’s Workout and Activity
app. Check out our roundup of Apple Watch fitness apps for a look at some of the best third-party options for the wearable.
source: about.com
