Some Tattoos Found to Interfere With Apple Watch's Sensors

[Robert M.]

I have a theory that the more tattoos a person has the less smart they are, and vice versa.

Look at Asians. Very few of them have tattoos. Most of them are smart.
Look at athletes and criminals. Almost all of them have tattoos. None of them are smart.

This guy, Matt Taylor, is a rocket scientist.

Good lord, I'm done. I started posting again because of the Apple Watch. But this week reminded me why I stay away from forums.

Edit: Someone beat me

 

[SSonnentag]

Normal skin tone? People come in lots of different colors and shades.

Surprisingly to some people (you included), humans do come in a standard range of colors. Striped, spotted, green, blue, yellow, red and such are not a part of that standard human color range. If tats were standard human skin colors, they'd be much less visible, thus defeating the purpose of those attention-hungry individuals who deem it necessary to discrace themselves by marring up their bodies.

Agreeing with me is not a requirement, but a bit of common sense would be refreshing.

 

[mikepepe86]

Funny and fitting. Nothing says trash quite like a tattoo.

Wow seriously? Was that a joke? I mean really dude...

Not having tattoos makes someone a good person?

 

[Hedwigg]

I'm guessing they have a no tattoo policy at Apple. It is a bit amazing they wouldn't have run into one tattooed person of all the employees they tested the watch on.

Your guess is 100% wrong.

 

[furi0usbee]

Was that pic taken before or after his apology for that shirt?

But his iPhone can't get cell service when it's in his shirt pocket.

 

[a1kim]

According to this Verge article, it's not only a problem on the Apple Watch (or at least that's what the article implies):
http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/28/8510931/apple-watch-doesnt-work-tattooed-wrists

The MS Band and the Fitbit Charge HR use the same method for getting heart rate, so they presumably have the same problem. If not, then yeah... Apple should try to address this.

But if the method for getting heart rate (and detecting skin contact) simply doesn't work with tattoos, then are you suggesting they should use alternative methods, even if they don't work as well? I've been reading that this method for getting heart rate is much more accurate than other methods, so it would seem like a bad tradeoff for such a tiny percentage of people who have tattooed wrists... which is not a disability, but a choice.

 

[AppleScruff1]

so now people who get tattoos are trashy and aren't worthy of owning apple products?

good lord... i've never seen a more judgemental group of people than on macrumors.

Evidently for some tattoos don't fit the above average intellect and high income image that Apple users supposedly possess.

 

[furi0usbee]

I'm beginning to think you're not sure what an apologist is, but you have a vague idea.

LOL - Best response today! +100

 

[26139]

Hmmm....

One consequence might be that certain heart rate sensor technology doesn't work over skin that is covered in ink.

This seems a perfectly reasonable consequence to me.

Sorta of like how I need to roll my shirt sleeve up to get my blood pressure checked.

 

[BillyTrimble]

Realistically, they're not going to attempt to change the only way the monitoring can work because some people have tattoos in that area.

Absolutely. Someone made a choice to get a tattoo, and now they need to be responsible for any subsequent effects, even if unforeseen. This is in NO WAY Apple's fault or problem!

 

[bchreng]

I have a theory that the more tattoos a person has the less smart they are, and vice versa.

Look at Asians. Very few of them have tattoos. Most of them are smart.
Look at athletes and criminals. Almost all of them have tattoos. None of them are smart.

Athletes are smart in a way that many people (including Asians) cannot be. Memorizing plays, predicting, and making split-second decisions based on an ever-changing field is definitely a sign of smart.

 

[furi0usbee]

I haven't laughed like this in a while. Let's keep the laughs rolling!

 

[SSonnentag]

Matt Taylor works for NASA and has both arms fully covered, and I'm sure he has more not on his arms.

So please think before being so dumb.

NEWS FLASH: Being smart is not a prerequisite for NASA employment.

 

[MrCornfed]

.

 

[AppleScruff1]

So what? And what are you implying by these so called "consequences?" And to take it further, what does the "job market" have anything to do with buying a product such as a watch? Nothing.

Quit stereotyping and quit apologizing for Apple.

There are quite a few here who must defend Apple at all costs.

 

[gixxerfool]

It should be fairly obvious from the article (and image) it refers to tattoos that are in direct contact w/ the watch.

Also, it's funny and sad watching the amount of conservative folks pretending this isn't a defect by instead bashing people with ink. I guess if you live on a farm in Kansas tattoos seem like this 'zany' thing, but in cities they're pretty much the norm. I'm almost in shock when I come across someone who doesn't have a tattoo these days. Either way, tattoo or not, it's sad to see so many Apple fans displaying vitriolic comments about other people's decision to get a tattoo. That kind of nastiness looks far worse on you than a tattoo ever would.

I find irony in the fact these people find revulsion in an external display, but seem ok with their bigotry and stereotyping.

Well said.

 

[teejaysyke]

I mean, imagine how bad it would look for the company if someone walks into an Apple Store and is being helped by someone with tattoos, (which they hire) and they're trying to demonstrate a product feature of the watch, but it doesn't work because they have tattoos.

Seems kind of like a lost sale, especially if the customer is tattooed.

Just looks bad to see a watch not work with Apple's very own employee because of something so insignificant.

 

[w00master]

Apple has done many things wrong. But from a business sense, you cannot fault them for not make the watch tattoo friendly. Not when people with sleeve tattoos make up such a small percentage of the world population.

Now if Apple made this watch for right handed people only. Then THAT would be something to fault them for.

Again, Tattoos are a common thing.

 

[teejaysyke]

NEWS FLASH: Being smart is not a prerequisite for NASA employment.

Then why aren't you working there?

 

[bluush]

Good lord, I'm done. I started posting again because of the Apple Watch. But this week reminded me why I stay away from forums.

I visit all different kinds of forums for a range of my interests and it never ceases to amaze/depress me the level of rudeness, entitlement and elitism I find here on the macrumor forums.

 

[smoking monkey]

So in four years of development, Apple has not once tested this on tattoos?

And nor should they. The vast majority of people don't have arm sleeve tattoos.

 

[furi0usbee]

I wonder if this is because the trend is towards HiDPI tattoos, of higher than 300 DPI. I wonder if they keep them down to about 72 DPI, would the watch still be able to work? Retina tattoos are all the rage now I here.

 

[Gasu E.]

I can't handle the stupidity in these forums anymore. Grow up people.

No, you grow up first!

 

[w00master]

NEWS FLASH: Being smart is not a prerequisite for NASA employment.

NEWS FLASH: Having a tattoo has nothing to do with intelligence.

 

[dBeats]

I'm guessing they have a no tattoo policy at Apple. It is a bit amazing they wouldn't have run into one tattooed person of all the employees they tested the watch on.

They don't need a policy. Since the engineers and designers are typically intelligent people, they probably don't cover themselves in ferric-particle impregnated ink into their epidermis for the sake of looking cool.

A tattoo is a toxic iron stain left in your skin.