how to record aqua aerobics on apple watch

Apple Watch at the pool, with an app

When it was released, the Apple Watch disappointed many pool enthusiasts: the Apple Watch is not waterproof, it is not made for use underwater. Still, some more adventurous users dived with their watch on their wrists, and they swam for a long time, never having a problem.

Based on the realization that the Apple Watch resists a little dip, Active in Time - publisher of sports mobile solutions and swimming specialist - has created an application for the watch. Taking advantage of watchOS 2 and the full SDK provided to developers, the company has adapted its application designed for Pebble Time. A job that, according to the explanations given on the blog, was easier than expected, even if it had to deal with the peculiarities of the Apple Watch.

The watch screen is perfectly readable underwater, but it is unusable. And the water can turn it on by mistake, so the application hides all of its controls: you have to use Force Touch to display the menu. Since the Apple Watch screen remains off while swimming, the application cannot run: this is one of the many rules imposed by the manufacturer to preserve the autonomy of the watch. As a result, as can be seen on the video, it takes a few seconds after leaving the pool for the data to update.

This editor created a complete and accurate swim tracker application quite quickly. However, that doesn't mean that this app will be found in the App Store: there is a rule that prohibits apps that can damage the watch, and the Apple Watch is not supposed to be waterproof. If this were the case with a future hardware update, we imagine that we will quickly have several trackers dedicated to the pool. Although the fact that the touchscreen does not work underwater is a problem.

If you're interested in the topic, the Active in Time article contains a lot of additional information, including the calculation algorithm that measures distance traveled and calculates the number of lengths completed. And while waiting for the release of a waterproof watch and a dedicated Apple Watch app, you can use the Speedo Fit app on your iPhone to record pool sessions.