I started using an Apple Watch yesterday. As I expected, compared to a regular health tracker, it’s heavier, consumes more battery, and has overly complex features. That was until I installed an app called Stress Watch. Emotional monitoring was a feature I was curious about before. After using it for most of the day, the experience has been quite impressive. It accurately detects when I relax during sleep, get tense when my baby suddenly cries, or feel stressed when trying to lock a deal, and then return to normal after a minute of deep breathing. The principle behind it is simply based on a metric called HRV, heart rate variability. Thinking about it, this is somewhat similar to traditional Chinese medicine, where an experienced doctor can tell a lot just by checking your pulse.
The app’s simplicity doesn’t diminish its value—its practicality makes it effective. The best part is the passive monitoring. Many stress management apps today require users to actively record their mental state, which is not very effective. Who would be in the mood to record their feelings when they’re not feeling well? The act itself requires good mental resilience, and those with consistently strong mental resilience don’t need such an app. Passive monitoring, on the other hand, can remind users to take a break when their emotions are abnormal and difficult to detect or control.
When comparing a watch to a health tracker, it’s like comparing a platform to a specific application. A watch is a platform, so complexity is inevitable because it offers endless possibilities to users. The platform can establish symbiotic relationships with various good apps, maintaining stickiness with different user groups. In contrast, a health tracker is like a watch with only one app—lightweight, simple, and energy-efficient. The user base is limited, but those who like it, really like it.