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watchOS 5 Brings Automatic Workout Detection, Walkie-Talkie Mode, Podcast App To Apple Watch (digitaltrends.com)

At WWDC 2018, Apple announced several new features in watchOS 5 that will be coming to the Apple Watch later this year. Digital Trends summarizes all the big new additions including more watch faces and improved health tracking features: Apple is putting a huge emphasis on ensuring fitness tracking data is accurate in WatchOS 5. The company studied more than seven terabytes of fitness data from more than 12,000 participants to make sure its tracking measurements are on point. You'll also find a new competition mode on WatchOS 5. The mode allows you to enter a seven-day competition with a friend. WatchOS 5 also features new fitness modes. The Yoga mode will track your activity via the heart rate monitor while the Hiking mode will use your pace and elevation to better determine the number of calories burned. The Running mode now offers a custom pace alert, tracks your cadence and will even provide time data on the previous mile run. Finally, you'll see new start and end workout alerts.

WatchOS 5 also brings several awesome communications improvements. First off is the new Walkie-Talkie mode. With Walkie-Talkie, you can add friends to your Apple Watch and communicate with them directly by tapping the Talk button within the Walkie-Talkie app. Your Siri watch face will also get a huge update as well. The new Siri watch face will provide more information on your favorite sports teams, offer commute and traffic information, as well as heart rate.
Also available in watchOS 5 are Siri Shortcuts, an official Podcast app, and WebKit, which will let you view webpages from Messages or emails. You will also no longer need to say "Hey Siri" to activate Siri. Now you can simply raise your wrist to your mouth and Siri will automatically be listening.

Note: The original Apple Watch won't get watchOS 5's new features. You will need a Series 1 or newer timepiece.

50 comments

  1. Automatic listening by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Automatic listening? WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG???

    I guess we'll just have to pretend we have this thing called privacy. Apple Watch will join Alexa in recording all of your conversations.

    1. Re:Automatic listening by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      Automatic listening? WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG???

      I guess we'll just have to pretend we have this thing called privacy. Apple Watch will join Alexa in recording all of your conversations.

      Yeahrightsure.

      Like it has the infinite battery power needed to remain awake and transmitting your every boring utterance to the mothership.

      For a tech site, Slashdot has got some of the LEAST tech-savvy participants I have ever seen...

    2. Re:Automatic listening by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      No, it will just be coded to trigger on a set of keywords. Things like 'demonstration' 'progressive' 'rally' 'liberty' and 'protest.' Also a list of drug culture words, in regions where that is required by the authorities. When the electronics is in place and operating to parse all sound, you're correct that not all sound will be flagged and uploaded.

    3. Re:Automatic listening by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Great for the NSA, FBI, DEA. The live mic, voice prints all over the USA and beyond. Its PRISM for the wrist.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    4. Re:Automatic listening by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      apple does not care about your privacy. Not in the least.

    5. Re:Automatic listening by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yeah, right, that's EXACTLY what they're listening for. you got it figured out there.

    6. Re:Automatic listening by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      No, it will just be coded to trigger on a set of keywords. Things like 'demonstration' 'progressive' 'rally' 'liberty' and 'protest.' Also a list of drug culture words, in regions where that is required by the authorities. When the electronics is in place and operating to parse all sound, you're correct that not all sound will be flagged and uploaded.

      In order to do that, it has to be "awake" at some level, and if the "trigger" set gets too big, then it cannot do it on-chip.

      This isn't "Echelon on your wrist", bozo. But boy did my message-score just go up for invoking that word.

    7. Re: Automatic listening by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      A dictionary of 500 words to scan for is completely feasible.

      Wtf is the bozo shit about? The guy who threw slang like that around is long dead. Any amusing dogcow anecdotes to share with us?

      No, the last whiff of that culture at Apple is gone. They're as lively a corporate culture as Panasonic or Mattel now.

    8. Re: Automatic listening by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      A dictionary of 500 words to scan for is completely feasible.

      Wtf is the bozo shit about? The guy who threw slang like that around is long dead. Any amusing dogcow anecdotes to share with us?

      No, the last whiff of that culture at Apple is gone. They're as lively a corporate culture as Panasonic or Mattel now.

      Still not buyin' it.

  2. Automatic workout detection? by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

    Well, first I know that's a wasted feature for the /. community, as climbing the stairs from the basement is enough exercise, thankyouverymuch... But this is a feature my Samsung Note 5 (and new Note 8) have had since the beginning. They're quite adept at determining when I'm walking versus sitting and rocking in a chair, or riding on my motorcycle. And it automatically counts your steps if you enable health tracking.

    --
    Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    1. Re:Automatic workout detection? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The feature you describe has been in place on iPhone as well for years as well. The automatic workout feature is actually different. If you start a gym workout or yoga or whatever and forget to activate the specific tracking of that workout, the watch can detect this and allow you to retroactively have it track back from when you started.

    2. Re:Automatic workout detection? by MikeMo · · Score: 1

      Yes, so does the iPhone. What this does, which, I think is a bit different, is tell the difference between a run, a bicycle ride, a stationary bicycle ride, a swim, etc. In a watch.

    3. Re:Automatic workout detection? by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      Tim Cocksuckers works out her stupid butthole

      Another erudite AC heard from!

    4. Re:Automatic workout detection? by Trogre · · Score: 1

      Oh you mean like the Samsung Gear watches? Got it.

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    5. Re:Automatic workout detection? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's another Apple's So Cool! story that will go nowhere. Apple's just doing what they need to do to reassure the buyers of their overpriced crap that they are brave and "Courageous!" for being their suckers. S.O.S., just another, slightly different announcement of the latest iEnhancements that really just do nothing special. Yawn.

  3. More "meh" that should be apps with 5 installs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously, software development should be left to open source communities, so it changes when somebody actually has a need, not for pointess profit and growth's sake.

    All those features are both ancient and only neede by a fringe group or are utterly cancer all the way down.

    1. Re:More "meh" that should be apps with 5 installs. by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

      Seriously, software development should be left to open source communities, so it changes when somebody actually has a need, not for pointess profit and growth's sake.

      All those features are both ancient and only neede by a fringe group or are utterly cancer all the way down.

      So, ignore them.

  4. Apple watch edition no longer supported by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those who spent $10,000 on a gold Apple watch are now no longer supported.

    1. Re:Apple watch edition no longer supported by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When the iwatch first came out everyone knew that was going to happen.

  5. watchOS 5 Brings Automatic Sermon Detection by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You know, for when pastors flail their arms around excitedly as they preach a sermon. #nicheaudience

  6. Slashdot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    News for Apple customers. Stuff that matters to iSheep.

  7. Another junk release by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Starting from the case format, the battery life, the hype, the strap, the tether to a phone, Apple managed to get everything wrong with the watch. For about the same price I got a Suunto Spartan Ultra, that actually looks nice, always-on watch face, has a phenomenal battery life, can be used without a phone with all features enabled, not to mention the barometer, the thermometer, the altimeter, gps tracks that are actually useful when you are in the boonies.
    I also got my father a Suunto 3 fitness watch which has optical HR monitoring, and some clever-ish training schedule planner, that again, all can be used without a tether to a phone, and the battery life is still better than an iWatch.

  8. do people still wear "smart" watches? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Serious question.

    I know some people bought the apple watches when they came out. But do people still have a use for them?

    Other than to tell time, and pedometer.

    1. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Informative

      I know some people bought the apple watches when they came out. But do people still have a use for them?

      OH for sure, I love mine...use it all the time.

      I love the notifications for when I get txt, I listen to music on it while on my bike through my BT earbuds, and with the cellular I can do this and make calls if needed while I leave my phone at home. I like the GPS in it for monitoring my rides, I track all my gym workouts with it, swimming laps in pool, etc.

      I got a 3rd party app for it, that helps me monitor my sleep, etc.

      I'm constantly using the timer on it for cooking and grilling.

      I find a LOT of uses for it daily.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    2. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by seoras · · Score: 2

      I can concur with all that cayenne8 said. I'm still using an S1 Stainless steel 42mm model. Might change it now it's not getting software updates, but then again I might just keep it a bit longer. Nothing announced today really makes me want to change.
      I don't miss calls since the watch vibrates when anyone tries to contact me via any medium. Cell, facetime, message, whatsapp, skype etc etc.
      I'd me lost without the timer which I use for cooking almost daily. Alarms and reminders are invaluable on my wrist.
      Being able to go outside, leaving my phone on my desk, and listen to music, without wires to get in the way when doing manual jobs, is just bliss.
      The other apps I use regularly are the weather app for a quick glance and a security code generating app I use for 2 factor logins.
      Yes people still wear smart watches and I think more will do so but not with the same uptake as the smart phone had.
      There are very limited useful apps. However, Limited useful apps != Limited device usefulness
      Then again when I look at my iPhone apps I really don't use most of them and thankfully I can't infect my watch with Facebook ;)

    3. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by I75BJC · · Score: 1

      Alarm feature is very important for me. Being able to set alarms to vibrate only makes my life better. Receiving phone calls is great. Receiving texts is also great. Reminders are easy to use and helpful. All without my iPhone in my hand or even with me. Different strokes for different folks. Apple Watch works great for me!

    4. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      S1 will be supported. S0, the Apple Watch Sport, SS and Edition models, will not be.

    5. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by Pascal+Sartoretti · · Score: 1

      Serious question.

      I know some people bought the apple watches when they came out. But do people still have a use for them?

      For me, it is a fantastic fitness tool for running, cycling and hiking.

      It is also very useful to change the volume on my Sonos loudspeakers.

      But for the rest ? I don't care about notifications, I already receive too many on my phone.

      YMMV

    6. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by antdude · · Score: 2

      I still wear and use Casio DataBank calculator watches (DB 150). Does that count as a "smart" watch? :P

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    7. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by khchung · · Score: 1

      The timer is super useful once I found out how easy it is to start one with Siri, just lift my watch near my mouth and say "Hey Siri, two minutes timer", then let the watch do its job.

      Sleep tracking is very useful once you got into the habit of it. Sleep tracker that only need the watch avoid draining the battery on the phone (which one usually don't have time to charge in the morning), and amazingly it use almost zero battery on the watch (still reports 100% battery in the morning).

      Exercise tracking is of course useful, unless one don't do any exercise. Not to say other fitness tracker won't do better, they probably do, but compounded with the convenience of replacing phone alerts, and all of the above, the Apple Watch is the my most used device now, I wear it nearly 24 hours a day except for charging, using it more than even my phone.

      --
      Oliver.
    8. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by drummerboybac · · Score: 1

      I use mine (LTE Model) daily for finding the location of my next meeting, checking DarkSky for weather, getting passcodes for 2FA, setting alarms that only wake me up and not my wife, setting timers via Siri, listen to music and podcasts, and get emergency text messages without my phone. This is a huge benefit while running or doing active things, as it allows me to leave my phone at home or in the car. Something that I find myself doing more than I anticipated is using it daily for paying for stuff. It works at Dunkin, the local small town market, and our work cafeteria. The chip in my debit card went bad, and I haven't really had to replace it because I can pay with my watch most places around town now. Since most small businesses had to get new register setups to comply with chip+pin, they are all ending up with Apple Pay as a side benefit. And this isn't in a big city, this is in a town with ~14,000 people and more farms than stop lights. So yeah, its gets a lot of use.

    9. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow! thats neat, buying yourself a watch when you finally admit you are gay.

    10. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Sleep tracker that only need the watch avoid draining the battery on the phone (which one usually don't have time to charge in the morning),

      Don't most people plug their phones in to charge beside the bed nightly?

      I always have...kinda of figured most anyone else that doesn't have a land line would do the same...

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    11. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I listen to music on it while on my bike through my BT earbuds

      I see that a lot. It is stupid and often illegal.

    12. Re:do people still wear "smart" watches? by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

      Sleep tracker that only need the watch avoid draining the battery on the phone (which one usually don't have time to charge in the morning),

      Don't most people plug their phones in to charge beside the bed nightly?

      Well, for sleep tracking you would at least have it to be on the bed. With the charging cord or the "wireless" charging pad. Have a nice sleep you are trying to track.

      --
      Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
  9. Re:More importantly, we can actually use computers by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

    ... to do stuff, not let closed spy jewlery do stuff to us.

    It's actually funny: An iTard rock climber with an iWatch is less of a lifeform than even an AC blob who does nothing but comment and work with computers all day.
    Because he has entirely given up being an individual, and has just folded and handed his body to the owner of the swam lifeform he joined. Because passive-thinking and passive-living is soo much "easier", and that is what being alive is all about! ... /s

    Would you like to try that diatribe again, this time in some human language?

  10. Re:Automatic AIDS detection is more useful by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 1

    He likes to suck men's dicks, so automatic AIDS detection would be very beneficial to him.

    Sounds like someone feels a little threatened.

  11. NOW the iWatch has Automatic Workout detection?!? by Hallux-F-Sinister · · Score: 1

    Oh, you mean that feature my lowly Fitbit has literally had FOR YEARS?!? Good for Apple. Next they will add a stopwatch function and invent dual time, a breathtakingly revolutionary feature that allows an iWatch user to see a watchface display indicating an arbitrary time offset determined by the user. Wooooowwww.... feh. Apple. Did they... take this opportunity to update or refresh the archaic, obsolete waste-of-money that is the MacMini, that those assholes claim is still an important part of theMac lineup? Noooo.... of course not. But, you can now make your face into a cartoon emoticon. LIKE, I am sooo IMPRESSED. Dude, I am SOOO rushing out and buying two of everything Apple makes!

    --
    Our reign has gone on long enough. Indeed. Summon the meteors.
  12. Re:More importantly, we can actually use computers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe your comprehending it wrong.

  13. Re:NOW the iWatch has Automatic Workout detection? by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    Google Fit, while not by any means an impressive fitness tracker, also has automatic workout detection. And it's "just" a free Android app that runs on most any phone!

  14. Will it detect when the workout is over? by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

    I'm always starting a workout, walking around the lot for 15-20 minutes, forgetting to stop, and looking at the watch to see a "workout" of 80 minutes, 60 of which was sitting on my butt.

    --
    Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  15. Re: NOW the iWatch has Automatic Workout detection by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

    It is nothing like the Fitbit if it is actually accurate. I guess you missed the memo that their fitness tracking is (or at least was) highly inaccurate

    --
    Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  16. Thanks for deserting us early adopters, Apple! by eric.hastings · · Score: 1

    So a $500+ watch is only supposed to last 2.5 years now? Sad they've cut us off so soon... the WatchOS updates have actually improved the original experience dramatically over time.

  17. Automatic Workout Detection by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I guess that sounds better than Fap Monitor.