The Apple Watch is set to be released in a matter of weeks, and it will likely become the best-selling smartwatch to date.
However, it seems as though Apple has had to scale back on the fitness tracking capabilities of the device because of the fact that the technology has not advanced as much as Apple would have wanted.
Originally, when Apple first conceived of the idea of the Apple Watch, the company thought that it would be able to track blood pressure, heart activity and stress levels on top of other features.
These features, which have been axed by Apple, might have been rather important in ensuring that the Apple Watch does turn out to be the best smartwatch on the market. There really isn't any smartwatch out there that offers blood pressure tracking, likely because of the fact that, as Apple suggests, the technology just isn't there yet.
The fact that the Apple Watch does not include these features is likely to have an impact on both the adoption of the watch and the adoption of Apple's HealthKit. Had the features been included, the Apple Watch could have been used by people who need to track their blood pressure and heart activity for health reasons. The data could have been given to doctors in order to help people in improving their health in the case of heart conditions.
These features, however, would not have been extremely helpful for the general public. Most people likely don't need to track their blood pressure or heart activity regularly. Not only that, but Apple hasn't removed all of the fitness features found on the Apple Watch. The device will still include the ability to track things such as steps, distance and heart rate, which should certainly allow users to be able to set goals for themselves and track their overall fitness.
The average person -- even the average fitness junkie -- will be fine with the fitness tracking features that the Apple Watch has to offer. If they need something else, they can turn to third-party sensors and trackers.
If they need to, users can also pair the device with sensors, such as blood pressure monitors and other sensors, from third parties.
The fact that Apple has removed a number of fitness sensors also has changed the way that the company has marketed the product. While before it may have been marketed more as a fitness-specific wearable aimed at improving the overall health of a user, now Apple is touting it more as an all-purpose device.
The features also would have set the Apple Watch apart even more from other wearables on the market, such as smartwatches by the likes of LG and Motorola.
While the watch might now be less useful for some people, it is still likely to sell by the millions, with Apple having reportedly ordered between 5 million and 6 million units from assembly for launch.
