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Gsxr750

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 6, 2022
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Can anyone provide me with a list of features I would lose if I disable wrist detection on an Apple Watch? Can’t seem to find one. Main reason I want one is for fitness tracking, everything I find just says “some activity”. I have tattoos on both my wrists, and haven’t tried one with my right wrist which is different color ink and a little lighter than my left, but trying to research this before I buy one to try it in case it doesn’t work with my right wrist either
 
Can anyone provide me with a list of features I would lose if I disable wrist detection on an Apple Watch? Can’t seem to find one. Main reason I want one is for fitness tracking, everything I find just says “some activity”. I have tattoos on both my wrists, and haven’t tried one with my right wrist which is different color ink and a little lighter than my left, but trying to research this before I buy one to try it in case it doesn’t work with my right wrist either
I don't believe you lose any features disabling wrist detection. That only automatically locks your watch when you take it off, assuming you have a passcode.

Now if you're talking about the watch not being able to make contact with the skin (like wearing it over a long sleeve shirt or on top of an incredibly dark tattoo) then you'd lose all the sensors. Meaning no heart rate and no blood oxygen readings. That removes a lot of the fitness tacking functionality.

If you're concerned I'd go try one on in the store.
 
Don't quote me on this but you might lose the ability to double press the button on the side and pay with Apple Pay.
 
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Hmm. Maybe I should just go pick one up and find out. There are return policies after all
 
...enter in your passcode each time... you put your watch on your wrist. Not each time you use Apple Pay.
That's only if you leave wrist detection on. If you turn wrist detection off (which is the topic of this thread), then you have to enter the passcode in each time you use Apple Pay.

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I never used wrist detection. I tired but it became a pain in the butt. Kept having to enter the passcode if it felt like I had removed from my wrist when it never did. I carry my phone all the time and use it for the rare times I use Apple Pay.
 
I never used wrist detection. I tired but it became a pain in the butt. Kept having to enter the passcode if it felt like I had removed from my wrist when it never did. I carry my phone all the time and use it for the rare times I use Apple Pay.
Do you wear your band loose on your wrist? With a nylon band with a mildly snug fit I never have to re-enter my passcode during the day.
 
Went ahead and picked up a series 8. So far it seems maybe the sensors have improved, that or the band is holding it in place better (solo braided band). Hoping everything works out. Really like the watch. Liked the series 7 I had before I returned it too
 
Do you wear your band loose on your wrist? With a nylon band with a mildly snug fit I never have to re-enter my passcode during the day.

‘Sometimes. I know that is the problem. Just never found a good reason to passcode the watch. I use the magnetic leather loop and it can at times loosen a little.
 
OT but not that much. About the passcode, is it mandatory or I can go without. I do not understand for now how it works. If I use one, will I have to unlock the Watch each time I move my wrist to check time and/or do a command.
 
OT but not that much. About the passcode, is it mandatory or I can go without. I do not understand for now how it works. If I use one, will I have to unlock the Watch each time I move my wrist to check time and/or do a command.
No, you only have to put in the passcode to unlock the watch after you put it on. It’ll know it hasn’t left your wrist and therefore know it’s still you and no need to authenticate when doing stuff. As soon as it leaves your wrist, it’ll lock and need a passcode the next time you put it on.

You can also just have your phone unlock your watch, which is what I do most of the time.
 
I wonder why there's not more options around wrist detection for this sort of thing?

Surely wrist detection should be able to work accurately based on lots of "sensor" information and then the second part/other option is the always-on monitoring of things like heart rate etc. If you disable wrist detection, you basically lose loads of functionality by default which seems a very extreme approach to take?

One of the biggest issues I've found with all of this is that having a tighter band definitely helps, but not always and if you're recording a workout, the first you might realise that the band isn't tight enough or the watch has moved etc is that your workout is paused which is very frustrating.
 
I wonder why there's not more options around wrist detection for this sort of thing?

Surely wrist detection should be able to work accurately based on lots of "sensor" information and then the second part/other option is the always-on monitoring of things like heart rate etc. If you disable wrist detection, you basically lose loads of functionality by default which seems a very extreme approach to take?

One of the biggest issues I've found with all of this is that having a tighter band definitely helps, but not always and if you're recording a workout, the first you might realise that the band isn't tight enough or the watch has moved etc is that your workout is paused which is very frustrating.
Doesn’t matter how tight the band. Doesn’t go through the tattoo covering my left wrist. I found a work around though. I wear it on my right wrist now, and while my right wrist is tattooed as well, it’s like a light shade of pink/fuschia and it apparently reads through that just find. Pictures is my left wrist.
 

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Surely wrist detection should be able to work accurately based on lots of "sensor" information and then the second part/other option is the always-on monitoring of things like heart rate etc. If you disable wrist detection, you basically lose loads of functionality by default which seems a very extreme approach to take?
Honestly I like it. I can activate Apple Pay with just two taps of a button. But I want that disabled the second it breaks contact with my skin in case of theft, loss, etc.
 
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