As time goes by and the rumors begin to add up; it looks more and more like we will be getting an Apple Watch refresh this fall. A new Apple Watch launched alongside the iPhone 8 would certainly make for a big 10th anniversary celebration of the original iPhone. Of course, Apple boasts the most popular wearable smart device but sales have been slowing down in the face of increased competition from other devices. One area where Apple is likely going to focus is health and fitness. The latest Apple Watch Series 3 Workouts leak seems to confirm that Apple has their eyes set on the fitness segment of the wearables market.
New icons were discovered in the latest version of iOS that seem to suggest Apple will be tracking specific workouts rather than just basic movement stats. In fact, if the Apple Watch Series 3 Workouts are as in-depth and varied as the leak would suggest; this could put a lot of pressure on wearables that claim to have a fitness focus.
As you can see, the icons in the leak show off a wide range of sports and activities. These are actually quite specific with unique icons for sports like baseball and badminton. Clearly, Apple wants to maintain its dominance in the wearables sector and they plan to do that by catering to specific sports rather than just offering a basic overview of health and fitness stats.
One thing that isn’t clear from this leak is whether these icons and any associated features will be coming to older versions of the Apple Watch or just the Apple Watch Series 3. If I had to venture a guess, I would say the latter option is the most likely.
The Apple Watch Series 2 Workouts should put a lot of pressure on companies like FitBit and Garmin who have found a nice place in the fitness wearables industry. With a brand like Apple taking direct aim at the fitness market, a lot of niche companies could suffer. After all, which would you rather have: the fitness wearable or the tech product that also tracks your activities better than anything else on the market? Of course, Apple will actually have to prove that Apple Watch Series 3 Workouts are better than anything else on the market but you get the idea. If I worked at FitBit, I would not be sleeping easy tonight.
Wondering what else Apple may have up their sleeve for the Apple Watch Series 3 launch? Check out our list of rumored Apple Watch features and stay tuned for the actual launch event. This year’s fall launch promises to be one of the biggest events ever for Apple as the celebrate 10 years of the iPhone.
