NEW Apple Watch Running Features w/ WatchOS 9 - Tons more data!

Are these available on the Ultra?

Nice review Des - As always :) It would be really nice to see how accurate Apple Watch vertical oscillation and ground contact time metrics are vs Garmin using a foot pod, running dynamics pod or HRM pro?

Fantastic vid. Hopefully you’ll be doing a breakdown for cycling. Somewhat new, and trying to make sense of the data. I was also disappointed over the lack of heart rate zone details. Glad to see it can be a dedicated screen now!

I'm downloading it right now, I will see how it works instead of stryd power meter. Workouts can be uploaded automatically to Garmin, Strava, etc?

Seems like non of them are available for Apple Watch Series 5 and below

So excited for this updates, they’ll complement my Apple Watch Ultra very well

great video...were you running on Green Mt in the front range?

Thanks!

Measuring running power on wrist is a gimmick, even a dedicated foodpod like Stryd is just a close estimation. Of course for marketing it will raise the sell numbers, :)

I still need to be able to do my TrainingPeaks workouts on the Apple Watch! They automatically go to my Wahoo Rival right now. If Apple did this too, I'd be sold!

Does anyone know where I can find the new fitness+ awards? I can’t find them in the fitness app. I have fitness plus and just did a meditation workout but didn’t get the new award. 😕

Nicely done!

I’m so upset I tried to update so I could go run and my phone needs a hard reset now (can’t until I get home to my computer) and it’s an iPhone 13 pro max! Any tips?

Wait what there’s no power when you walk scientifically that’s incorrect how was your no power when you walk. If there’s no power when you walk people in wheelchairs could you start walking your muscles create energy force or power if you wanna call it that that’s what make you move. It’s OK to say the Apple Watch got it wrong it’s a great watch when it works right I know I know we don’t wanna talk bad about Apple, but they don’t get it right and they do have glitches just like all the others. And yes I own Apple products iPhone tablets watches etc… I’m just being honest don’t exclude me from the circle. I’ll be green bubbles once the sheeps see this lol.

Great video!!! Thank you!! Can you upload a preset workout from training peaks?

I wonder if the apple watch will switch between sports modes like from push-ups to running or boxing and running.

Kudos to Apple for finally catching up to the competition after 8 yrs and finally offering fundamental training metrics. Seriously, BRAVO! But it's STILL nuts you can't fully customize the data fields & layout. More annoying, those data screens are simply long LISTS only differentiated by VERY WORDY but VERY TINY text labels!. Who the heck can read all that tiny text while running? I imagine it's even more unsafe attempting to read those screens while cycling at speed! It's as if Apple engineers don't actually use their own products as intended. The beauty of Garmin & Coros is the ability customize data fields in specific layouts that are easily recognizable at a glace by positioning only... u don't have to read the labels. And switching between screens can be done by muscle memory w/o looking at the watch. I know EXACTLY how my button presses are required to roll back & forth between all my various screens without looking down until necessary. Could Apple address these shortcomings with SW updates? Sure they *COULD*, but will they? Apple takes forever to change even the most basic things. For instance it took them what... 7-8 yrs to add a battery percentage indicator to iOS??? And even after 14 yrs of everyone on the planet complaining, a $1500 iPhone still can't set two simultaneous timers... a function even a $19.95 Casio watch can perform.

I wish the now playing icon wasn’t removed with the update

Lots of good new features in watchOS 9.

However, WHY is it sooooo hat for Apple to give us the chance to measure DISTANCE as a customizable metric?

I mean, obviously the people working at Apple in California isn’t very familiar with cross country skiing, but in Scandinavia and other northern parts of the world people would love to track HOW FAR they went on a cross country skiing session. It’s a the one metric skiers care about next to heart rate - just like long distance runners.

I don’t believe it, still after 5 something years, it’s still impossible to measure distance from a cross country skiing session 😳

I'm still amazed that Apple insist that their watches are only used with apple products. Seems pretty limiting.

The problem with wrist based power is (I am assuming) depending on your running form which wouldn't work if you are power hiking. Ironically running power is most useful in trail running since there's a lot of hills involved. But if you are not measuring it you leave out big chunk of the uphill works which subsequently underestimate your load.

what screen size are you using?

Your head has a weird shape. Your ears are also weird.

This watchos9 is sick! Wonder if it's worth upgrading from a series 7 to the ultra with this new update

is it possible to set up a train, like we do in Garmin? with intervals etc.?

When I saw ‘power’ I thought Apple Watch finally supports power meter for cycling…apparently not - including most cycling accessories that support ANT+… I still need to keep my Garmin head unit, they remain as the standard.

Thank you for info. bus please speak a little slower that many viewers are not native English speaker,

Did you say that the watch creates its own intervals but you can create your segment by double tapping? Like creating your own “lap” essentially?

He Des, will you do a video on the new Amazfit gtr4??? I would rely love to see an in depth video

Any suggestions on creating track / interval sessions. Garmin allows v customisable sessions. Do any Apple or watch os apps allow this?

I don’t see the power function. Is it because I have a series 4?

Great video. Thank you! Now I have to go on a run and test this new features haha cya

Can the apple workout app be running along with the nike run app? Do you advise using both on a run? Should we start the nike app from the phone or app? Great video, very informative.

Great video thanks, very helpful in getting the new features up and running 👍🏻

I do like the added metrics and options but I preferred Siri calling out my miles as I run. Now it appears the only option is to enable split callouts on an outdoor run which I’m not a big fan of. Hopefully apple will give us an option to chose mile callouts in a future update. Also they were lazy to not include configuration of these options in the Watch app in my opinion. Doing it on the watch itself can be cumbersome.

I just used the multi-sport tracking for a triathlon today (Series 6) with automatic transition detection and I have to say I was VERY impressed.

The swim had a long run up a hill into transition, so my watch swim/T1 splits were off my chip time by a few minutes (it would be on the money if the long run into transition was removed). My bike split was off by 40 seconds, my T2 time was off by 15 seconds (can be accounted by time spent running through transition) and my run was off by 40 seconds (accounting for the T2 difference and manual stopping being a bit after the line). Overall time difference was around 13 seconds (due to manual start/stop).

For someone who wants exact splits, manual transitions will be better, but you have to deactivate water lock from the swim to swipe the screen and manually transition. This will be a non-issue for the ultra, where you’d see an exact match. However, there are people who just want to start their tracking in the beginning and not deal with it until the end of the race. For those people, Apple’s tracking will be a phenomenal tool. You just have to account for the specific logistical details of each race to understand your transitions (ie, you have a 1/4 mile run into T1). Also, I know there are concerns about the countdown at the start. You can bypass this by tapping the screen once you start the workout.

Anyways, this is a very cool feature that many people will appreciate as the sport of triathlon has seen a real push to break into the mainstream. The event was a local race and I saw many people with Apple Watches in addition to your usual Garmin’s and Polars. Multi sport tracking was the feature I was most excited for and I’m pleased to say it delivered a fantastic experience.

My Venu 2 not looking so good in comparison

Does anyone know how to get Cadence showing in the new update? I’ve got a Series 7 and watch os9. Cannot get cadence data to display for the life of me!

Great vid! Just notice that some features are only available on Apple Watch 6 and the newest ones, such as the power measuring. Cheers!

Can I get the audio alert of the "segment splits" instead of the general splits?

Lifelong Garmin/Android runner here : Interesting to see Apple catching up on running dynamics. Competition is a good thing☺️ Next see if the Apple Watch battery life improves in the years to come.

Thanks! 🤙 These features breathed new life to my Watch 5.

Gonna give them a try before deciding to get a Garmin.

Apparently, cadence doesn’t work if you’re walking or hiking. Disappointed.

I just want a hr alarm for maffetone training. I hate to buy a garmin just for that one feature

I couldn’t find the Ground Contact Time feature. Would anyone help me with this one?

I have to say WorkOutDoors is hands down the best Apple Watch app ever. It has a map, hundreds of different data types to show, etc. If you haven't checked it out, you really should.

Thanks for the article!

Does the apple watch, store the split times and other data of a run to view later. If so, where are they stored (ie. Can I view them on my phone)?

How can I add pace in the zones?

* WatchOS9 comes out today (September 12) so look for the iOS 16 update for your iPhone and then you'll be able to update your watch to get these new features. Enjoy!