The Watch OS 1.0.1 update released earlier this week has affected some Apple Watches’ abilities to track the wearer’s heart rate properly. In some cases, users report up to an hour between readings.
Watch owners first began complaining about the issue on Wednesday, noting that Apple officially states that the Watch should take a reading every 10 minutes outside of the Workout app. In some cases the Watch is not only taking much longer to obtain a reading, but failing to do so at all unless wearers launch Workout or an appropriate Glance.
It appears Workout tracking still works properly, although one user in Apple’s forums reported that his Watch was stuck looking for a heart rate, during one of his recent bike rides. He reported never having seen that happen before.
Apple Watch owners Ian Fuchs (@IanFuchs) and J. Glenn Kunzler (@TheGlennja) – who by a funny coincidence appear on the Macnificent podcast with yours truly – report seeing similar issues with their Watches, although Mr. Kunzler says the issue cleared up after a reboot of the Watch.
The heart rate sensor, while a popular feature of the Apple Watch, has encountered some issues following the Watch’s release, the most publicized being the inability of the device’s heart rate sensors to operate properly on a heavily tattooed wrist.
Apple has yet to comment on the issue.
