There are many reasons to give the Apple Watch a try including its health-related sensors that can monitor a variety of things, such as atrial fibrillation. However, it may not be wise to rely too heavily on the Apple Watch’s AFib detection, especially considering it might not be as reliable as many people assume.
The Apple Watch is easily one of the most popular smartwatches to ever hit the market. Even though it is now a fifth-generation product, the Apple Watch has routinely outsold the competition, and in some cases, all of the competition combined. For example, in the company’s most recent quarterly release, Apple confirmed its ‘Wearables, Home, and Accessories’ division generated more than $10 billion in revenue. While that department also includes AirPods, Apple TV, speakers and headphones, Apple explained the quarterly year-over-year increase was primarily down to the AirPods and the Apple Watch. This not only means the smartwatch sells well, but also that many consumers will be using it right now, and making use of its advanced features - including those designed to monitor health.
A new report by Fortune highlights how there are multiple studies that have questioned the reliability of AFib detection on the Apple Watch. One of the most worrying was a recent report that found AFib detection was only accurate in 41 percent of cases studied. The overall report also looked to highlight that one of the areas where the Apple Watch is most likely to prove less capable of detection is in instances where a heart rate is greater than 120 beats per minute - a point made originally by the FDA when approving the feature to begin with. The combined studies do lead to the suggestion that the Apple Watch might not be as reliable as Apple’s own studies argue.
Apple Watch Is Still Useful For AFib Detection
While the report and supporting studies and comments highlight that the AFib detection on the Apple Watch might be less accurate than many originally expected, it’s important to understand this is an issue with wearables in general, and not just Apple’s smartwatch. For example, most devices that come with these health monitoring features usually make it clear that they are not supposed to be used alone as a solution - Apple even says as much about its smartwatch. Instead, they are designed to be used in conjunction with other options, including visits to the doctor.
Even when taking the worst case scenario as fact, then detection in 41 percent of cases is still significantly better than a device that is incapable of detecting an issue at all. Overall, it is best to understand that if a device like a smartwatch says that everything is fine, then that’s not to say everything is actually fine. In contrast, if a device suggests something is wrong, then it is probably time to double check those results with a medical professional to confirm if there is an issue. The fact that the Apple Watch won’t always get the diagnosis right should not take anything away from how the device is capable of helping in the first place.
More: Here’s Why The Apple Watch Thinks Bananas Have A Heart Rate
Source: Fortune
