Apple Watch Ultra - Heart Rate during runs does not work - spikes and stays high

[vanhalen26]

Have this issue too with my Ultra 2. Only when doing running workouts, strangely. Cycling, strength workouts, rowing, no issues.

First few minutes completely absurdly high HR readings no matter how tight or loose I wear the watch. I seldom see the problem as 99% of my runs are with an extra HR belt.

German magazine "mac&i" (well respected magazine) reported on issues with the Ultra 1 last year:

Apple Watch Ultra: Erhebliche Probleme bei Herzfrequenzmessung möglich

Manche der 1000-Euro-Smartwatches messen die Herzfrequenz nicht zuverlässig am Handgelenk, bei der Aufzeichnung gibt es massive Aussetzer.

www.heise.de

They had four Ultra 1 watches and two of them showed faulty measurements independent who of the journalists wore which watch.

Me to - I just gave up and wear an inexpensive HR belt/monitor.

 

[NME42]

Have this issue too with my Ultra 2. Only when doing running workouts, strangely. Cycling, strength workouts, rowing, no issues.

Now the problem started also on strength trainings and Yoga workouts. Heart rate locks in at 120 bpm and stays in the range between 118 and 120 until the end of the workout, no matter what I do.
When I start the heart rate app and put my finger on the crown, the correct heart rate is determined. When I change back to the training app, heart rate immediately jumps back into the 120 range. Very disturbing.
Had this issue lately for about two days until it went back to normal again and now have it again since yesterday. Rebooted the watch and cleaned the OHR to no effect.

 

[vanhalen26]

Now the problem started also on strength trainings and Yoga workouts. Heart rate locks in at 120 bpm and stays in the range between 118 and 120 until the end of the workout, no matter what I do.
When I start the heart rate app and put my finger on the crown, the correct heart rate is determined. When I change back to the training app, heart rate immediately jumps back into the 120 range. Very disturbing.
Had this issue lately for about two days until it went back to normal again and now have it again since yesterday. Rebooted the watch and cleaned the OHR to no effect.

Just get a strap and move on. It’s a hardware issue you can’t fix.

 

[steve123]

Since this is an important health issue and the consequence of inaccurate measurements could be severe, the FDA should mandate that Apple place a warning on the outside of the box with the information that was mentioned a few posts back. Hiding it somewhere on their website suggests Apple is attempting to avoid liability. Someone needs to sue. If they cannot make these measurements reliably the feature should be removed.

 

[NME42]

Just get a strap and move on. It’s a hardware issue you can’t fix.

I have a strap and use it for running as none of my watches from Garmin to AW5, AW7 to Ultra 2 were reliable all the time for running workouts.
But all of them worked pretty well indoors for strength training. Why suddenly not anymore? Hardware broken or software issue?

 

[vanhalen26]

Since this is an important health issue and the consequence of inaccurate measurements could be severe, the FDA should mandate that Apple place a warning on the outside of the box with the information that was mentioned a few posts back. Hiding it somewhere on their website suggests Apple is attempting to avoid liability. Someone needs to sue. If they cannot make these measurements reliably the feature should be removed.

Good luck. It’s just not worth the effort. I don’t disagree with the disappointment, it’s a pain in the ass to have a strap as a part of my equipment when I was sold a watch that should eliminate the strap, but it’s still the nature of these watch based monitors. Even my Garmin is pretty bad and I gave up and got a new strap.

 

[xDKP]

I have a strap and use it for running as none of my watches from Garmin to AW5, AW7 to Ultra 2 were reliable all the time for running workouts.
But all of them worked pretty well indoors for strength training. Why suddenly not anymore? Hardware broken or software issue?

If you go to the heart rate app and not put your finger on the crown, does it show the real one as well? Sounds like a software error to me. Apple is pretty known for having stellar heart rate sensors.

 

[NME42]

If you go to the heart rate app and not put your finger on the crown, does it show the real one as well? Sounds like a software error to me. Apple is pretty known for having stellar heart rate sensors.

It's funny as soon as I lift the finger from the crown, the heart rate jumps back to the much higher cadence lock value.

But I "solved" the issue now, very strange. Did a strength workout yesterday. Started without strap and it immediately locked in at 120 bpm. In the middle of the workout, I put on a HR strap and values came down to 80ish. Removed the strap again and disconnected it and now the values were ok from the OHR. Since then, no more cadence lock, my workout this morning was perfectly fine.
Nothing else was changed like shaving my hair on my arm or removing a tattoo or cleaning the watch or or or. ;-)

 

[xDKP]

It's funny as soon as I lift the finger from the crown, the heart rate jumps back to the much higher cadence lock value.

But I "solved" the issue now, very strange. Did a strength workout yesterday. Started without strap and it immediately locked in at 120 bpm. In the middle of the workout, I put on a HR strap and values came down to 80ish. Removed the strap again and disconnected it and now the values were ok from the OHR. Since then, no more cadence lock, my workout this morning was perfectly fine.
Nothing else was changed like shaving my hair on my arm or removing a tattoo or cleaning the watch or or or. ;-)

That sounds weird - But must be software?

 

[NME42]

That sounds weird - But must be software?

I am 90% sure it is a software issue. No environmental parameters changed.