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Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

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341–350 of 686 posts

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#342

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple also has the willingness (and resources, but those resources are a consequence of that willingness) to double down on tech it believes in. If Apple Watch hadn’t been an immediate success, I’d like to think they’d still be pushing hard to make it so. Most of its competitors have far more offerings with much less commitment behind any one of them.

> If Apple Watch hadn’t been an immediate success, I’d like to think they’d still be pushing hard to make it so. Apple Watch wasn't an immediate success - at least not in the form we see it today. WatchOS 1.0 was dramatically different from what we have today, with much less focus on health and more focus on 'connecting you with people' and stuff. Apple kept working at it, paring out the stuff that wasn't useful (the…

All true, but the original Watch brought over $1 billion in revenue in its quarter of release[1], so I’d call that a success.

[1]: https://1reddrop.com/2019/01/07/apple-watch-sales-history-fr...

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#344

What if you come home after a bad day in a bad mood and throw your watch down on the nightstand? Will an ambulance show up at your house?

Yeah or like, what if you just fall and decide to stay laying down for a minute but you’re actually fine? I wonder if the fall has to happen in combination with some other health metrics that it senses? Does there even need to be a falling down? What if you have a heart attack while you’re strapped into your parked car and you don’t fall? Does it call then?

WSJ tested some of these scenarios: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7xI2dUPN3A

Seems very hard to trigger inadvertently, so it makes sense to me that they use an algorithm that factors in the heart rate and the fall trajectory and velocity.

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#345
post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"What we list for legal purposes" and "what the device actually does" might not be the same thing. I imagine saying "my device detects heart attacks" gets the FDA involved and makes everything ten times more expensive...

Whether you officially list it or not, if your device is diagnosing and reporting heart attacks to people, the FDA will be involved sooner or later.

The FDA was involved in the Apple Watch.

That being said of course they will state that the watch can’t detect accurately hearth attack to avoid any liability.

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#346
post #182

Well, crap. I have been avoiding smart watches like the plague but this plus the ECG may put me over the edge. My family has a history of heart disease, I commute by bike every day, and I have a young child who I want to see grow up. One of my friends was recently killed in a motorcycle crash. A passerby found them in the morning in some bushes near the side of the road. We don't know what time the crash occurred, or…

If you're in the market for a smart watch, and you're a cyclist, I'd recommend checking out Garmin. They have a massive array of sensors and record very precise data that is aggregated on Garmin Connect. It's been invaluable to me for assessing training effectiveness over time. They make Apple watches look like toys. If you want the latest and greatest, the Forerunner 945 is probably what you're looking for, but the…

I think you are missing the point here completely and utterly. Compared to what the Apple Watch can do (as mention on the post and several comments) the garmin watch may be the real toy here.

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#347

This kind of story that leverages tragedy to build brand value is repulsive to me. The intent is arguable but it reeks of manipulative advertising.

Dear downvoters, why is this an article about Apple watch and not wearable tech generally?

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#348
post #182

Well, crap. I have been avoiding smart watches like the plague but this plus the ECG may put me over the edge. My family has a history of heart disease, I commute by bike every day, and I have a young child who I want to see grow up. One of my friends was recently killed in a motorcycle crash. A passerby found them in the morning in some bushes near the side of the road. We don't know what time the crash occurred, or…

> but this plus the ECG may put me over the edge.

We are still waiting for ECG here in Australia. Sigh.

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#349
post #76

My cousin died last week of a heart attack on the way from his house in a village south of Nuremberg to the bakery 10 minutes away to get bread for breakfast. His Apple Watch (presumably because of the fall detection) called emergency services for him and gave him time to call his wife.

My condolences, it's always painful losing family. I too lost a cousin about six years ago due to heart failure, he had just about turned 21. I wish he'd had an Apple Watch (or similar device) at the time.

A dear colleague died of a heart attack a couple months ago. His Apple Watch didn't save him. He collapsed at work.

The Apple Watch is very explicit about not being a panacea, and currently only advertises detection of a specific kind of arythmia or elevated heart rate. Note that the original comment mentioned that fall detection was probably the trigger.

I'm still pretty angry at the universe about my colleague's sudden death. I just want to temper expectations about what the Watch can or cannot do.

Re: Bike crash left Spokane man unconscious, so his Apple Watch called 911

#350

I really want an Apple Watch for this and the EKG / Heart stuff. But I hate the idea of having another bit of technology on my wrist when I already have the iPhone with me. I like watches, the mechanical kind. I love them as the art of design and as fashion item to be match to what you are wearing (when appropriate). I do not want to give that up. In the end I will likely give in and get the Apple Watch just because…

I like the Apple watch fine, I had the Series 0 and also bought a Series 4. I never use them because I love my mechanical watch and you just look like a massive idiot wearing two watches.

Bummer really. Would love an Apple watch in a form-factor where it can complement a watch.

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