Category Archives: Apple Health

Episode 289, An Update on Blood Oxygen for Apple Watch in the U.S.

August 19, 2025Apple, Apple Health, Emergency SOS, health, iPhoneAlaska, Anchorage, Apple, AppleWatch, Blood Oxygen, Fitness, Health, iPhone, MacMinutes, medical, technologymacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss a quick update to Apple’s recent introduction of a redesigned Blood Oxygen for Apple Watch in the U.S.

**Screenshot of the Apple Watch taking a Blood Oxygen reading.**

**Screenshot of the redesigned Blood Oxygen feature on the Apple Watch and how to take a measurement.**

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Episode 285, watchOS 26 delivers more personalized and productive ways to stay active, healthy, and connected

June 21, 2025Apple, Apple Health, Apple Music, Apple Music, Apple Watch, fitness, Fitness+, health, Technology, UncategorizedApple, Apple Music, AppleWatch, Fitness, Health, MacMinutes, medical, Messages, Stacls, technology, watchOS 26macminutes

In this episode, we will discuss watchOS 26 delivers more productive and personal ways to stay active, healthy, and connected. A new software design makes using Apple Watch even more helpful, Workout Buddy brings a first-of-its-kind workout experience with Apple Intelligence, and the Smart Stack and Messages are more intelligent. We will cover these new features and a lot more.

**watchOS 26 offers a new look and even more intelligence for a more personalized experience.**

**A new software design enables a vibrant and expressive experience that reflects and refracts content using real-time rendering, which brings even more focus to content.**

The Workout app debuts the biggest update to its layout and navigation since its introduction, with four new buttons in the corners that make it easier for users to access their favorite features to customize workouts.

Apple Music can now select the best playlist for a user’s workout based on the workout type and their personal tastes. Alternatively, users can see suggestions for playlists or podcasts based on what they’ve recently listened to during that particular workout type.

Smart Stack hints offer a proactive prompt for actionable suggestions that are immediately useful. For example, a hint for Backtrack may appear when a user is in a remote location with no connectivity.

**Apple Watch now supports Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence, allowing incoming texts to be automatically translated into a user’s preferred language.**

Notifications are now even easier to manage with a simple wrist flick gesture. When a user raises their wrist to check a notification but isn’t ready to respond, they can quickly turn their wrist over and back to dismiss the notification.

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Episode 284, Apple expands tools to help parents protect kids and teens online

June 14, 2025Apple, Apple Health, Child Computer Safety, UncategorizedApple, Child Computer Safety, Child Safety, Health, iPhone, MacMinutes, technologymacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss Apple’s announcement this week expanding tools to help parents protect kids and teens online. Including new ways to manage Child Accounts, the ability to share a child’s age range to receive age-appropriate experiences within an app, updated age ratings on the App Store, and more.

Apple is offering more ways to help parents ensure their kids and teens have age-appropriate experiences from the moment they set up their device, with new tools that build on the parental controls already available in Screen Time and on the App Store.

**Kids ages 13 to 17 will have similar age-appropriate protections enabled, including web content filters and Communication Safety, as well as more granular age ratings on the App Store.**

**App developers can request the age range associated with a Child Account through the new Declared Age Range API, which will help developers provide age-appropriate experiences for their users.**

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Episode 280, Apple celebrates Earth Day on April 22 with Limited-Edition Activity Award

April 19, 2025Activity Awards, Apple, Apple Event, Apple Health, Apple Watch, Earth Day, fitness, Fitness+, health, heart health, Uncategorized2025 Earth Day, 2025 Fitness Activity Award, Apple Watch, AppleWatch, Environment, Fitness, Health, MacMinutes, medical, technology, World Environment Daymacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss an Earth Day and the several ways you can learn and take part in Apple’s celebration of the special day, Tuesday, April 22, including a special fitness Limited-Editon Activity Award.

**On April 22, Apple Watch users can earn an Earth Day limited-edition award by completing any workout of 30 minutes or more, encouraging them to get outside and stay active.**

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Episode 273, Celebrate Heart Health Month by earning an Activity Award on Valentine’s Day

February 5, 2025Apple Health, cardiology, fitness, Fitness+, health, heart health, Technology2025 Heart Health Activity Award, Alaska, Anchorage, Apple, Apple Fitness Award, AppleWatch, Fitness, Health, heart disease, iPhone, MacMinutes, medical, technologymacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss how Apple is celebrating Heart Health Month. We wanted to get this out so Apple and fitness enthusiasts can plan ahead. Let’s go to the show for this quick update.

**2025 Heart Health Month Activity Award available on Friday, February 14.**

**Sticker Pack available for those who complete their exercise ring on Valentine’s Day.**

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Episode 271, Apple Fitness helps keep those fitness resolutions; Ring in the New Year with a new activity award

January 3, 2025Apple Health, Apple TV, cardiology, fitness, Fitness+, health, heart health, iPhone 15, Uncategorized2025 Fitness Activity Award, Apple Fitness, Apple Health, Fitness, healthy living, New Year's resolutions, Weight Lossmacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss how Apple devices and affiliated software can help you keep those fitness and health resolutions we work so hard to keep. We will also talk about a new activity award available throughout January.

In January, Apple Watch users can earn a limited-edition award when they close all three Activity rings for seven days in a row.

**The new season of Time to Walk kicks off January 13, featuring Adam Scott, Steve Aoki, Lana Condor, Tiffany Haddish, Rita Ora, Daddy Yankee, and Maddie Ziegler.**

With a new integration to the Strava experience, members can share a Fitness+ workout to the Strava app, and it will display rich details, including the episode image, episode number, music genre, trainer name, and metrics.

**The Artist Spotlight series returns with workouts featuring music from Janet Jackson (January 13), Coldplay (January 20), Bruno Mars (January 27), and Kendrick Lamar (February 3).**

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Episode 266, iOS18, Satellite Messaging on your iPhone

October 12, 2024Apple Health, Computers, Emergency SOS, fitness, iOS16, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, Satellite Messenging, TechnologyAlaska, Anchorage, Apple, Health, iOS18, iPhone, IPhone 14, iPhone 15, MacMinutes, Messaging, Satellite, technologymacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss Apple’ introduction of Messenging via satellite on your iPhone that is now available with iOS18. With all model of iPhone 14 or later, you can send iMessages or SMS messages via satellite when you’re off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

**Try the Satellite Connection demo** — **To learn how to connect to a satellite, open the Settings app > Apps > Messages, then tap Satellite Connection Demo.**

When your iPhone detects that you’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, it alerts you — on the Lock Screen, you get a prompt that you can send and receive messages via satellite. Otherwise, you get a notification to Use Messages via Satellite when you open the Messages app.

To send a message, just open the Messages app — you’ll be prompted start accepting messages, if you haven’t already, and your iPhone provides instructions to connect to a satellite to send a text. If you have iPhone 14 Pro or later, the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen has indicator dots that show the strength of your connection and, if your connection could be improved, arrows that direct you to turn left or right. You can tap the Dynamic Island to open Connection Assistant for more help.

If you have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage and you’re messaging with someone who is using Messages via satellite: In iMessage conversations, you see an alert that your contact is accepting messages via satellite. After you tap send, you need to also tap Send via Satellite underneath the message bubble. If you have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage and you’re messaging with someone who is using Messages via satellite: If you’re an emergency contact or a member of a Family Sharing group, you can send an SMS message before your contact sends you a message via satellite. They’ll receive the message once they start accepting messages via satellite.

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Episode 264: Apple announces Apple Watch Series 10 with many new features

September 12, 2024Apple, Apple Event, Apple Health, Apple Watch, Apple Watch 10, Apps, health, heart health, Uncategorized, watchOS 112024 Apple Event, Alaska, Apple, Apple Watch, Apple Watch 10, Fitness, MacMinutes, sleep apnea, technology, Watch OS11macminutes

Apple unveiled Apple Watch Series 10, featuring a refined design and bringing new capabilities to an already efficient watch that makes it even more powerful, intelligent, and sophisticated. Apple Watch Series 10 is the thinnest Apple Watch yet — making it more comfortable than ever — and offers the biggest, most advanced display of any Apple Watch. It also features new sleep apnea notifications; faster charging; water depth and temperature sensing; plus new health and fitness insights and intelligence in watchOS 11.

**Available in both aluminum and titanium, Apple Watch Series 10 comes in an array of stunning colors and finishes.**

**Apple Watch Series 10 features the biggest and most advanced display of any Apple Watch, improving readability and usability in apps like Messages, Mail, or News.**

**The innovative wide-angle OLED display optimizes each pixel to emit more light at wider angles, and is up to 40 percent brighter than Apple Watch Series 9 when viewed from an angle.**

**Sleep apnea notifications come to Apple Watch, further expanding its capabilities as an intelligent guardian for users’ health.**

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Episode 262, Apple celebrates America’s national parks with an Apple Pay donation campaign and new ways to explore with Apple Maps

August 21, 2024Activity Awards, Apple, Apple Health, Apple Watch, education, fitness, health, heart health, medical, National Parks, Technology, Uncategorized2024 National Park Day, Alaska, Anchorage, Apple, Apple Fitness Awards, Apple Watch, Fitness, Health, iPhone, MacMinutes, technologymacminutes

In this episode, we will discuss how Apple is celebrating America’s national parks with an Apple Pay donation campaign and new ways to explore with Apple Maps. We will also telll you how to earn an activity award on Sunday, August 25 by participating in a fitness activity. (Graphics courtesy of Apple Inc.)

This week, Apple celebrates the 108th birthday of the U.S. National Park Service with an Apple Pay donation campaign and new ways to explore with Apple Maps. Photo by Jude Allen. Shot on iPhone 14 Pro.

**On August 25, Apple Watch users can earn a limited-edition award and animated stickers for Messages to celebrate national parks.**

**This fall, Apple Maps users can explore thousands of hikes in U.S. national parks and save them for offline use.**

**On August 25, Apple Watch users can earn a limited-edition award and several animated stickers for Messages to celebrate national parks.**

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Episode 261, watchOS 11 brings powerful health and fitness insights, and even more personalization and connectivity

August 2, 2024Apple, Apple Health, fitness, Fitness+, health, heart health, medical, safety, software, Technology, watchOS 11Alaska, Anchorage, Apple, Apple Watch, Fitness, Health, iPhone, MacMinutes, medical, technology, watchOS 11macminutes

In this episode, we will discuss the newest operating system watchOS 11. watchOS11 brings powerful health and fitness insights, and even more personalization. Apple is introducing the Vitals app, training load, pregnancy health and new ways to tailor Activity rings. We will discuss these and more.