New Heart Rate Sensor(s) on the Series 11?

[Jackbequickly]

Apple says the following in it’s details for the new Series 11 watch:

“Advanced sensors. Apple Watch Series 11 uses innovative sensors — including two heart sensors and wrist temperature sensing — to stay on the pulse of your health.”

Does this mean the HR sensor has changed from the S10 series? Hope so as mine drops out often. And no, I do not want to wear a chest strap for HR.

 

[Webcat86]

Isn’t this for the hypertension feature?

 

[waw74]

the hypertension feature is also available on the older models too, Series 9 and ultra 2 Both have it.

on the comparison page, the S10, S11, ultra 3 all say "Third-generation optical heart sensor" as does everything back to the S6, and all models of ultra. (hypertension doesn't seem to be on every model with 3rd gen)
all models of SEs say second gen.

Apple Watch Compare

Compare specs for the latest Apple Watch models: Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Watch SE 3.

www.apple.com

And no, I do not want to wear a chest strap for HR.

then get the new AirPods Pro, or the beats with HR sensing in your ear.

Do you have tattoos? is your strap tight/loose enough? is the back dirty? all of those will affect the HR monitoring of the watch

 

[Webcat86]

the hypertension feature is also available on the older models too, Series 9 and ultra 2 Both have it.

oh cool, I didn’t know that. I’ve just done the comparison feature on their site and there is literally no reason to upgrade from S9 (no complaints here, I’m pleased that devices have more longevity)

 

[Jackbequickly]

So it has the same sensor. I have the newest AirPods but can’t tolerate the Pro models. No tattoos, back of watch is not dirty. I adjusted the strap and moved at all over my arm. In cold weather I can get it to work with the watch located on my inside wrist. During a workout, it starts measuring my HR but quits and I have to adjust and readjust.

Was just hoping for a better or improved sensor. Not a deal breaker as I could not do without my Apple watch

 

[Webcat86]

So it has the same sensor. I have the newest AirPods but can’t tolerate the Pro models. No tattoos, back of watch is not dirty. I adjusted the strap and moved at all over my arm. In cold weather I can get it to work with the watch located on my inside wrist. During a workout, it starts measuring my HR but quits and I have to adjust and readjust.

Was just hoping for a better or improved sensor. Not a deal breaker as I could not do without my Apple watch

Have you had this on all watches or just your current one? It sounds defective.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Have you had this on all watches or just your current one? It sounds defective.

Unfortunately, all.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Unfortunately, all.

I’ve always had the same issue with the AW (Series and AWU). I get HR dropouts with them while running that I don’t get with a Garmin or Coros.

 

[Webcat86]

I’ve always had the same issue with the AW (Series and AWU). I get HR dropouts with them while running that I don’t get with a Garmin or Coros.

Huh, that’s weird. I’ve literally never had that on any of mine, so it’s weird that it happens across multiple watches if someone has it

 

[MacCheetah3]

During a workout, it starts measuring my HR but quits and I have to adjust and readjust.

Was just hoping for a better or improved sensor. Not a deal breaker as I could not do without my Apple watch

While I’ve never noticed such — though I don’t do a lot of regular gym work — during weightlifting, yoga, and other activities there can be a lot of arm and wrist movement. So, there’s always the possibility the watch pulls away from the wrist, at least a little.

A coincidental video I watched recently, research on watch band type and colors, that mentions workout downsides. It can happen with any band, some just more prone than others.

I’ve always had the same issue with the AW (Series and AWU). I get HR dropouts with them while running that I don’t get with a Garmin or Coros.

During a run seems strange, unless you prefer to wear the watch looser.

 

[kitenski]

Does this mean the HR sensor has changed from the S10 series? Hope so as mine drops out often. And no, I do not want to wear a chest strap for HR.

My wrist doesn't get on well with the Apple Watch HR sensor, takes an age to lock on and often loses the signal. I've been using the Polar Verity sense band around my biceps which had worked much better.

 

[maxpipersid]

I’ve always had the same issue with the AW (Series and AWU). I get HR dropouts with them while running that I don’t get with a Garmin or Coros.

Funny, I have the opposite problem. My Garmin Epix Pro 2 drops has dropouts fairly often. It especially struggles with interval workouts and when I ride out of the saddle on my bikes. Never happens with my AWU2 which one of the reasons I use it much more often than the Garmin.

 

[PatrickNSF]

My wrist doesn't get on well with the Apple Watch HR sensor, takes an age to lock on and often loses the signal. I've been using the Polar Verity sense band around my biceps which had worked much better.

I use the Polar Verity Sense also (if I remember to charge it) when I run with an AW.

 

[Outdoordude01]

Huh, that’s weird. I’ve literally never had that on any of mine, so it’s weird that it happens across multiple watches if someone has it

Yeah, when I do rigorous trail running HR readings have gotten so unreliable for me that I now run with a chest strap HR monitor, which has been bulletproof.

 

[GeekyGrannie]

Unfortunately, all.

Same for me. No minor adjustment will fix it. If I stop and pause the app briefly and then resume, it picks up the HR again, only to lose it again later. I now suspect it has to with the software algorithm rather than the hardware sensor.

 

[Bichon]

For me, it's seasonal. In the warmer months I rarely have an issue maintaining a heart rate reading during a workout, but once the mercury dips it becomes a lot more temperamental. Was a bigger issue on my series 5 than it is on my series 9, but happens on the newer watch too.

 

[Jackbequickly]

For me, it's seasonal. In the warmer months I rarely have an issue maintaining a heart rate reading during a workout, but once the mercury dips it becomes a lot more temperamental. Was a bigger issue on my series 5 than it is on my series 9, but happens on the newer watch too.

It is seasonal for me also which tells me that capillaries on the skin constrict to preserve body heat. The sensor depends on blood flow through these capillaries to output HR.

 

[gstevie]

We really need a 4th gen sensor, one that can cope with tattoos. It’s been over 10 years and it’s crazy they have not implemented some kind of solution. Needing to either disable almost all functionality by not using wrist detection or having to try and add layers of tape to the sensor, just not a great experience. I’d be happy with ticking a box that let after giving me a warning that readings may be less accurate, just got on with it. We know it can read through tattoos with the tape or epoxy methods, why can’t they just do something directly?

 

[tom2517]

While I’ve never noticed such — though I don’t do a lot of regular gym work — during weightlifting, yoga, and other activities there can be a lot of arm and wrist movement. So, there’s always the possibility the watch pulls away from the wrist, at least a little.

A coincidental video I watched recently, research on watch band type and colors, that mentions workout downsides. It can happen with any band, some just more prone than others.

During a run seems strange, unless you prefer to wear the watch looser.

Opposite for me, Garmin will drop HR on me, and was less accurate compared with my chest strap.

 

[azhava]

Opposite for me, Garmin will drop HR on me, and was less accurate compared with my chest strap.

Garmin was almost a random number generator for me as far as HR, even doing something as simple as steady state cardio indoors on a treadmill. I always used a HR strap with them because the watch HR was so flaky (FR935 and Fenix 6). The Apple Watch isn't 100% perfect (S8 and AWU2), but for me it's much better than Garmin was.

 

[tom2517]

Garmin was almost a random number generator for me as far as HR, even doing something as simple as steady state cardio indoors on a treadmill. I always used a HR strap with them because the watch HR was so flaky (FR935 and Fenix 6). The Apple Watch isn't 100% perfect (S8 and AWU2), but for me it's much better than Garmin was.

For me the same, I used chest strap to compare both AW and Garmin, AW more accurate. Both are far better than my Oura ring 4 though, the thing can’t track activity HR right, but I use it for step count and sleep tracking as I just can’t stand wearing anything on my wrist to sleep…..

 

[Trent0341]

I've always had the problem of dropped HR readings. I've owned numerous AWs since series 0. I am currenty on the AWU 1 and will receive the AWU3 on Friday. Since they are both "3rd Generation" sensors, I don't expect this to change. I've had every type of band and tried different levels of tightness. It just is what it is.

FWIW... I've also connected the Polar HR10 (two different ones) to various apple watches and when it works it is great but it often drops too.

 

[azhava]

I've always had the problem of dropped HR readings. I've owned numerous AWs since series 0. I am currenty on the AWU 1 and will receive the AWU3 on Friday. Since they are both "3rd Generation" sensors, I don't expect this to change. I've had every type of band and tried different levels of tightness. It just is what it is.

FWIW... I've also connected the Polar HR10 (two different ones) to various apple watches and when it works it is great but it often drops too.

The best HR band I ever used wasn't even a chest strap - it was the Scosche Rhythm (current edition now is Rhythm+ 2.0), worn on the upper arm right around the bicep/deltoid junction. I had to play around with it a bit initially to get the tension and location just right, but once I figured it out it was a rock solid HR lock. I compared it against the grip sensors on cardio machines and manually palpating my HR, and it was always right on.

I don't use it with the AW because the AW works really well for me, but if I was having problems with the HR sensors on the AW I'd go right back to it with no hesitation.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I use the Polar Verity Sense also (if I remember to charge it) when I run with an AW.

Thanks for the suggestion. I went to the polar and purchased the Verity Sense from Amazon. It works AWESOME. I synced it to my Spirit EX395 Elliptical and it is spot on! No more moving my watch around trying to get HR reading during a workout. Thanks for your post as I like the Verity Sense better than the chest straps.

I only synced the Polar with my Elliptical but am thinking I will sync with my AW and iPhone to end the loss of HR during walks and other activities. I assume it will “over rule” the watch sensor and use the Polar instead.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Thanks for the suggestion. I went to the polar and purchased the Verity Sense from Amazon. It works AWESOME. I synced it to my Spirit EX395 Elliptical and it is spot on! No more moving my watch around trying to get HR reading during a workout. Thanks for your post as I like the Verity Sense better than the chest straps.

I only synced the Polar with my Elliptical but am thinking I will sync with my AW and iPhone to end the loss of HR during walks and other activities. I assume it will “over rule” the watch sensor and use the Polar instead.

I’m glad the Polar Verity Sense is working out for you. That and the Polar chest strap are the best I’ve used.

On a related note, I’ve found the AirPod Pro 3s to be really good at supplementing HR data when the Apple Watch fails during running. I haven’t had any drop outs when using both together. Unfortunately I may have received a bum pair, as I get “clicking” feedback after most voice prompts, so I’ve retuned them until I can figure out if it’s a hardware or firmware issue.