Apple has always said that no matter how great its sales, it has always enjoyed helping make the world a better place: educating children, bringing families and people together for causes greater than themselves.
The smartwatch maker that now commands nearly 7% of the US wearables market announced at WWDC 2016 that it would bring a dedicated wheelchair mode to WatchOS 3 and the Apple Watch 2 that would customize Apple's fitness services on the Apple Watch for those who have physical challenges in everyday life.
According to the source MacRumors, Apple is doing just that, with the company now giving employees the opportunity to test out the new Wheelchair Mode that's headed to the Apple Watch 2: "Wheelchair pushes contribute to all-day calorie goals, there are wheelchair-specific workouts, and the 'time to stand' reminders are replaced with 'time to roll' reminders," the publication says, showing how Apple has contextualized the usual health software to appeal to those who face physical challenges on a daily basis.
It appears from the new Wheelchair Mode that Apple intends to provide more services to meet the needs of the physically challenged, a move we applaud. It is our hope that as technology progresses and smartwatches own an even greater popularity than they do currently, that everyone, no matter their challenge, will be able to appreciate and enjoy the progress of our world. I even wish for a braille smartwatch one of these days.
The Wheelchair Mode will arrive in WatchOS 3, presumably headed to the Apple Watch 2 this Fall. Alongside of this new Wheelchair Mode, the Apple Watch 2 will bring in-built GPS tracking and water resistance, as well as swim tracking for swim athletes (which mandates some sort of water resistance). Since these things will arrive with the next-generation Apple smartwatch, we presume that they too, will be an indelible part of WatchOS 3. On the hardware side, the Apple Watch 2 could bring modular bands, a FaceTime camera that makes you even more narcissistic, and more. The fruit company has already placed its orders for the Apple Watch, so production is now in session.
