Finally Hit the Slopes with Apple Watch!

The Apple Watch has become a wearable essential for fitness fanatics everywhere, helping to track progress and supply valuable data. Until now, it seemed Apple was forgetting about those with a passion for winter activities. Not to be outdone, Apple gave the green light for several winter sports tracking apps.
New Apps for the Apple Watch Will Track a New Type of Progress
Among the first apps to sign on with the Apple Watch are Ski Tracks, Slopes, Snocru, and Squaw Alpine. The apps will help individuals track their performance in skiing and snowboarding activities by providing data that will be recorded, during the activities. This is something winter sports enthusiasts have been longing for and it seems Apple execs were listening.
Unfortunately, the apps won’t be compatible with older versions of the Apple Watch. The technology that makes this type of fitness tracking possible was only made available with the WatchOS 4.2, which was updated in December. This means Legacy Apple Watch owners will have to upgrade, if they want access to the apps. Currently, only the Apple Watch Series 3 will be capable of running the apps correctly, partly because it comes with a barometric altimeter installed in the device.
The Apple Watch Update Simplifies Tracking
It should be noted that winter athletes weren’t without tracking apps for their activities. The previously mentioned apps have been available on the iPhone for some time, but handling the phone while wearing winter gear was problematic. Wearing gloves made it difficult to use the apps and, for skiers, they would have to juggle their phone along with their ski poles.
Often, users want to track their progress on the field or while riding the chair lift, but that required removing gloves. Otherwise, there was the risk of dropping their phone or other equipment. The Apple Watch eliminates those concerns with the new update.
What kind of data will the Apple Watch record with these apps? Among the most anticipated features, it will track the vertical descent and the distance for each runs, as well as keeping a record of the number of runs completed. The apps will also be able to keep a tally of top speeds, providing an average speed for the user. For those interested in how their performance effects their physique, the Apple Watch will also keep track of the number of calories burned with each performance.
While this may mean buying a new Apple Watch for some, the investment will certainly pay off. Having a more convenient way of tracking this kind of data will help athletes improve their overall performance.