Alongside the latest release of iOS 17.2 for the iPhone, last Monday, Apple also introduced watchOS 10.2 which brings its innovative health features that allow its users to converse with Siri about their health and fitness routines.
Apple clarifies that the S9 processor which powers the Apple Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, possesses the ability to handle health-related requests to Siri. It means you can interact with Siri regarding health information. Moreover, your information will not leak outside of your devices. It is mainly the privacy feature that addresses the privacy feature that ensures that you secure your personal health information.
The AI assistant Siri understands and responds to health-related queries without transmitting the data to the other servers or devices. The purpose of this high privacy is to ensure that your health data will remain stored in the Apple watch and will not be shared beyond the devices.
This update was announced back in September and was available in Beta only, now it is also rolling out in Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. This latest update will help to ask Siri about your body health updates through the watch. Although this change may seem minor, it will make your watch more capable.
It is the latest evolution in Siri which mainly focuses on AI and virtual assistants. These AI virtual assistants create a conversational environment and always try their best to respond to the user’s prompts. These recent updates determine that Apple is trying to innovate the new uses of its digital products. And this latest smart health update in Siri will solve many problems regarding health.
Deidre Cadbeck, Apple Senior Director of Product Marketing for the Apple Watch and health division stated that their main focus is to make health data accessible. She expressed confidence that this new feature will bring them closer to their goal.
Siri will provide the response with only 20 different health data on the Apple watch series and Ultra 2 that include the step count, activity rings, nightly respiratory rate, how many flights of stairs you climbed and many more. Additionally, it can also address different health queries that are connected with different health apps; like monitoring of glucose and blood pressure. You can also instruct Siri to record the details of your body weight, medications, and period durations.
Caldbeck further revealed that incorporating health-related inquiries into Siri was the most demanded feature.
Katie Skinner, senior manager for user privacy engineering, highlighted four key principles that guide the design of their health products. These main principles are data minimization, device processing, transparency, ad control, and security. These principles remain relevant across all digital products within the industry.
Caldbeck emphasized that the current capability for users to access this data without any screen interaction is truly unprecedented.
Caldbeck further emphasized that before users can access this data without interacting with their screen. Before the user interacts with the iPhone, after and few touches, the user finds certain health data. But now this data will be available without any need of touch. The Siri upgrade comes almost at the perfect time, when the AI assistant and other health apps are getting more advanced.
Generally, Apple never gave a statement about their future product before officially launching them, but now they stated that they will continue to explore adding further data and keep improving health features in Siri.