Track detection makes use of information off of Apple Maps statistics and GPS to mechanically apprehend when you’re at a widespread 400m IAAF going for runs on the track. You are then told to enter which lane you’re in. Later, in your exercising summary, you’ll get a route map with what Apple says is lane-level precision.
The stunning phase is getting that accuracy without having to do any sort of calibration. Other jogging watches require you to create a profile particular to every one you run in, commonly by way of beginning a run activity, then walking between one and 4 laps in a precise lane to calibrate the watch’s GPS. Garmin’s watches, for example, it can save profiles for up to 10 tracks. And then you have to begin a Track Run recreation for the element of your run that’s on the track.
The Apple Watch can swap to into the track mode in the center of a everyday run as soon as it acknowledges you’ve arrived at a track. It can additionally inform when you’ve left (kind of). I decided to test this out. I additionally determined to see how the Apple Watch Ultra stacked up towards the new Garmin Forerunner 265S, Garmin, and the Runkeeper app on my iPhone 14 Pro Max over a lengthy run measuring 8 miles.
The first run I did was 8 miles and to my surprise, the Ultra alerted me as quickly as I entered the track’s gate. I was then brought on to select unit measurements in meters or miles, and I informed the Ultra I was going to be running in lane two. I didn’t get any track-specific data, however, I did forget to set up lap indicators beforehand. It also took about two or three minutes after leaving the park for the Watch to notify me that I’d left the track.