Inside Apple’s New Fitness Features, From AirPod Heart Rate Sensors to AI Coaching
Apple’s latest updates to its headphones and Apple Watch push fitness tracking into more moments of a user’s day
Apple’s September showcase had fitness at the forefront.
New sensors in AirPods, safety and endurance features on Apple Watch, especially Ultra 3, and AI-powered coaching in watchOS signal a strategy to meet athletes in more moments, aligning with the company’s broader investment in the fitness and wellness industry.
AirPods Pro 3 updated its earbuds, which now house a photoplethysmography (PPG) heart-rate sensor that tracks calories burned and integrates directly with the Fitness app. Paired with a new “Workout Buddy” mode, the feature turns audio into a training companion while maintaining noise cancellation and long battery life. Along with IP57 sweat and water resistance, Apple has repositioned its earbuds as a workout tool, citing them as the most popular headphones for working out on the market.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 was also launched, which integrates Apple’s AI coaching layer, Workout Buddy, and adds a Sleep Score readout for recovery insights.
Meanwhile, the new Apple Watch Series 11 broadens access to advanced health tools. Apple is introducing notifications for signs of chronic high blood pressure, an algorithm that analyzes optical-sensor data over extended periods, as well as a Sleep Score that distills duration and consistency into a single metric. The updates reflect a growing emphasis on recovery and cardiometabolic health in mainstream wearables.
Overall, Apple’s watch software, watchOS 26, underpins the hardware with a heavier emphasis on coaching. Workout Buddy uses on-device intelligence to provide real-time cues and encouragement based on live and historical data. Athletes can also build custom workouts directly from the iPhone’s Fitness app, adding flexibility for structured training. A refreshed interface makes it easier to access key features mid-session without breaking flow.
Apple Fitness+ also continues to evolve as the content layer, with expanded programming in strength, yoga and newer categories like pickleball. Its integration with Strava makes sharing workouts easier and strengthens the platform’s community links. Meanwhile, Strava’s own Apple Watch app has grown in capability, with features like Live Segments showing how well Apple’s devices can serve as an anchor for third-party training experiences.