There were reports from Apple Watch owners with wrist tattoos that their devices were malfunctioning apparently because of their tattoos. Apple confirmed today that users with wrist tattoos may not be able to use their device completely. Read more to see Apples officlal statement and solutions for customers that are inked
A small amount of Apple Watch users reported that their wrist tattoos were interfering with a feature that tracks your pulse. It seemed like the ink was interfering with the ability for the watches light sensors to track the heart rate.
Apple had this to say “Blood is red because it reflects red light and absorbs green light. Apple Watch uses green LED lights paired with light‑sensitive photodiodes to detect the amount of blood flowing through your wrist at any given moment. When your heart beats, the blood flow in your wrist — and the green light absorption — is greater.”
The technology inside of the apple watch is really at the pinnacle of user interface and processing speed for wearables. The sensor on the bottom of the device flashes light onto your wrist and measures the rate at which the light gets absorbed or reflected back the watch; the faster your pulse the faster the light gets reflected/absorbed in between beats. Users facing this problem that don’t want to go through with tattoo removal may have to get a bluetooth heart sensor you wear on your chest that will connect with your Apple Watch. TatWza may still pick one up though. That may seem a bit bulky considering you get a device like an Apple Watch for the all in one feel. Don’t fret though knowing Apple a software update that will make the sensors be able to detect through dark ink should be released soon.
Source: Gizmodo
