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Digital Touches to yourself!

shambles247 said:
I had it on a table and it was still doing it. I am going to go to the gym tonight to do a sprint test. If I get my heart rate right up high then record it then send it to myself.

But I am having problems with mine anyway. I think my heart rate monitor is faulty. I keeps auto pausing during a workout.
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No I mean the screen reads your pulse from your fingers (apparently).

This could totally be something apple store employees told people using the demo unit to avoid them asking how it's doing it without it being strapped on, I am skeptical as to why apple would put so much effort into recognising pulse through the screen for something so niche.

Your method of testing seems a logical way to see if this is accurate or not.
 
My watch hasn't arrived yet, but I wonder if it sends your actual heartrate only when you wear it — if it's not on your wrist, then it just sends a default or most recent heartbeat. They might be able to read your heartbeat via your fingers using force touch, but it'd probably be less accurate.
 
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Consider this....you check radial pulses with your index and middle fingers because they don't have a pulse of their own....(while avoiding checking with your thumb because it does). So I don't think it is measuring your finger's pulse by using force touch ;) and since it needs green LEDs on the back to do it the other way....I'm going to guess it just sends last recorded HR or makes something up and the demo units in the store were just that...a demo.
 
dalcorn1 said:
No I mean the screen reads your pulse from your fingers (apparently).

This could totally be something apple store employees told people using the demo unit to avoid them asking how it's doing it without it being strapped on, I am skeptical as to why apple would put so much effort into recognising pulse through the screen for something so niche.

Your method of testing seems a logical way to see if this is accurate or not.
Click to expand...

mercurie said:
Consider this....you check radial pulses with your index and middle fingers because they don't have a pulse of their own....(while avoiding checking with your thumb because it does). So I don't think it is measuring your finger's pulse by using force touch ;) and since it needs green LEDs on the back to do it the other way....I'm going to guess it just sends last recorded HR or makes something up and the demo units in the store were just that...a demo.
Click to expand...

It most definitely doesn't read through the screen.

I'm thinking more and more this is a gimmick.

I cant wait to get to the gym later to test it for sure. I'll take a video.

I already have videos of it doing crazy things, reading a heartbeat on the table, one minute its reading 200bpm, then 30bpm.
Like I said, mine is faulty. I'm in contact with Apple support about it.
 
It does send last registered heart rate.....

I just put it on the table and it got up to 160bpm, I sent that to myself and it was crazy.

Then went to 40bpm, I sent that and it was much slower.

So..... Conclusion is, it sends your last known heart rate. AND mine is faulty.
 
If you turn off the "Heart Rate" in Privacy Setting -> Motion & Fitness, then you cannot sent out your heartbeat anymore. So, I guess it is your heartbeat, but just may not the heartbeat that at the moment you try to send it out.
 
I just went for a run and sent a digital touch straight after. Heart was racing in the message. This doesn't confirm whether it's 'live' or last read rate but at least it proves it's not a canned response
 
I don't think my wife and I will use this much but I may see this in the future as the medical practices increase their use of the health app and the watch services. A doctor may ask you to send your rate as part of a checkup and the watch might be able to do so. Add some other metrics and you have the ability to get a basic checkup from about anywhere.
 
Great tip as I don't know anyone else who has a watch to test this with!

Also it appears that the heart graphic on the heart rate monitor glance, pulses in time to your pulse. Just checked my pulse on my wrist against it and it was in sync.

Could be a way of checking it's working properly?
 
shambles247 said:
I had it on a table and it was still doing it. I am going to go to the gym tonight to do a sprint test. If I get my heart rate right up high then record it then send it to myself.

But I am having problems with mine anyway. I think my heart rate monitor is faulty. It keeps auto pausing during a workout.
Click to expand...

I upped my heartrate to 140 bpm on an elliptical and was able to send the much faster heartbeat, although it was to myself since I don't know anyone with an apple watch yet.
 
Whenever i try to send a digital touch to myself i always get "Digital Touch Failed to send" and then later it sends and i receive it. Anyone experienced this?
 
kjotwani said:
Whenever i try to send a digital touch to myself i always get "Digital Touch Failed to send" and then later it sends and i receive it. Anyone experienced this?
Click to expand...

Yes I get that error multiple times when trying to send a digital touch to myself.

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shambles247 said:
The heartbeat is not actually your own. Its just a standard pulse. I cant believe it. I just tested it by taking the watch off.
Click to expand...

I tested it after a work out and it was definitely faster. I think it is just programmed to do something if it's not on your wrist rather then telling you to put the watch on.
 
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