How accurate are iPhone heart rate monitors
Our smartphones experienced a true evolution in the past few decades: there’s little they cannot do these days. It may come off as surprising for some that our iPhones are now able to assist us medically as well! It’s mostly done via various heart-rate and health monitoring apps. The tech is still quite new, so there’s still some controversy surrounding it, especially when it comes to the accuracy of it all.
Here we’ll examine this topic in some more detail to help you understand it a bit better. So, without any further ado, let’s dive into the world of iPhone heart rate monitors!
There’s still a lack of relevant medical research done on the topic
Before we begin comparing the accuracy of different iPhone health monitoring apps, we’d like to point out there’s still a lot we don’t know about the technology in question. Most legitimate heart-rate monitoring apps use the process of photoplethysmography to measure your heart rate and keep you updated on your health. It’s less complicated than it sounds: the tech utilizes your phone’s integrated camera sensors to keep track of your capillaries as they swell up, allowing the app to effectively measure your heart rate. This process has been in use in modern medicine for years now, so its accuracy and effectiveness are not up for debate.
What is debatable, though, is the precision of your iPhone’s sensors as well as the software used to process the heart rate data. Not all iPhone models are built the same, and some apps are more precise than others. Be it as it may, scientists and medical professionals are still skeptical about the tech itself, so we advise you to take it all with a grain of salt.
Once there’s more research done into the subject, we’ll be able to discuss it more accurately. For now, all we can say is that these apps are precise enough to be used for daily heart-rate management, but not accurate enough to act as a replacement to established medical equipment.
The quality of your iPhone model
As you can already guess, the newer the iPhone model, the stronger its sensors are. Your iOS operating system should be upgraded to the newest available patch if you want these apps to work effectively on your phone. If you’re working with an old iPhone with a dated operating system, you probably won’t be able to find a suitable app.
Most new iPhones do come with their own health apps that include this tech, so if yours doesn’t, the other apps probably won’t work as well as you’d like them to. We suggest you avoid using heart-rate monitoring apps if your iPhone is super old, as you may be getting inaccurate or misleading results.
Of course, if you’re not yet ready to upgrade to a new phone, don’t worry! You can always get a smartwatch for much cheaper or simply borrow your family member’s phone to get your daily results. Either way, as we’ve mentioned before, you should take it all with a grain of salt. These can act as a great way to change your lifestyle for the better, but they shouldn’t be used to treat and monitor patients with serious medical conditions that involve the health of their hearts.
The quality of the heart rate monitoring app
Not all health and heart rate monitoring apps are worth your time (nor money in some cases). Choosing the right one is of the utmost importance. We suggest you look for apps that offer more than just a heart rate monitoring feature. You can use many of these health apps to get your lifestyle in order by providing you with quality meal plans, exercises, and reminders to drink your water. It should also allow you to track and compare your results, while also exporting them to a pdf file for your physician to see.
If you’re looking for an app to check your heart rate, browse through the App Store and you’ll quickly find many apps similar to Welltory App. While we’re on the topic of reviews, ensure every app you download has overwhelmingly positive ratings, as that can tell you how effective it actually is. For more information about the Wellotry App visit the official website at welltory.com
Of course, there are many heart rate monitors for iPhone you can choose from, so choose wisely. If you ever transfer to an Android, don’t worry! Samsung heart rate monitors are also a thing!
Advantages and disadvantages of using smartphone health monitors
As we’ve already mentioned throughout this article, using accurate iPhone heart rate monitors for the betterment of your health has its pros and cons, depending on how you decide to use them. If you decide to use them to maintain your lifestyle while still doing regular check-ups with a certified medical professional, you’ll be able to enjoy some incredible benefits.
On the other hand, if you decide to rely on your smartphone exclusively for medical purposes, you might be up for an unpleasant surprise. These monitors, no matter how accurate they claim to be, should not be your sole source of information regarding your heart’s health. Use them to relax and monitor your exercising routine without taking it too seriously, especially if you’re dealing with underlying medical conditions at that.
Overall, the specific advantages and disadvantages of these apps are directly connected to the way you decide to use them. As long as you’re careful and take them for what they are, they can bring many benefits to your overall health.
The bottom line
There still needs to be more research done when it comes to the accuracy of the iPhone’s many heart-monitoring apps. In most cases, they’re accurate enough to help you fix your exercise routine and remind you when to take a break during your day. They’re packed with many useful features that can allow you to start developing a healthy lifestyle.
We hope our article cleared some of your dilemmas about these applications and we wish you good luck in all of your future endeavors.
