Apple Watch users finally get a sick day function
Apple Watch users have long asked for the ability to pause their activity rings without losing their hard-won streak, and Apple finally delivered.
The company announced Monday at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) that Watch users who need rest or recovery because of illness or injury will be able to pause their activity rings for a day, week, month, or more.
Prior to this feature, there was no simple way for users to opt-out of activity goal without manually decreasing it, or losing their streak if they stopped activity altogether. Apple rewards activity streaks with digital notifications and badges.
You May Also Like
The new feature is part of watchOS 11, which is expected to launch later this year.
The update also includes the new Vitals app, which will notify users when two or more key health metrics, including heart and respiratory rate, indicate they're unwell or under physiological stress. Presumably, that insight will help users decide on whether to pause their rings.
Topics Apple Watch WWDC
Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a masters degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.
