9to5Mac columnist calls Apple Watch Series 12 a worthy WHOOP replacement but misses sleep-based day tracking

In the column published Oct. 18, the writer said the Series 12 had been "a marvel of an upgrade" for him personally, and that he had written about it repeatedly since its launch. He pointed to the always-on heart rate monitor and a redesigned Health app as the two additions that made the release feel novel, saying he had known both were coming but not when the app would ship.

According to 9to5Mac, the new Health app is not yet available to users. It appeared in a beta of iOS 27.2 for a short period before being pulled, and Apple has said it will return in a later iOS beta before a release later this year. The column said that most likely means iOS 27.3, which should enter beta before the end of the month and ship before the end of December.

On the app itself, the writer said Apple had done a lot well: the interface is easy to read and navigate, and the Readiness and Health Age metrics make it feel more meaningful, while existing Vitals and Sleep features are now integrated in one place he would check daily. The gap he describes is smaller in scope. WHOOP, he wrote, does not measure a day on a fixed clock but starts it when the user goes to sleep, so a workout after midnight still counts toward the day in progress and a late walk home counts toward the day it began rather than the next one.

He described the preference as a small personal one rather than a flaw in the app or its design, and suggested it could be offered as an option, adding that anchoring days to sleep seems more sensible than a standard clock, particularly for tracking exercise. The column closed by inviting readers to comment on the idea and on the new Health app.

The Series 12 column follows the writer's earlier praise for the device, in which he described it as a competent substitute for the WHOOP wearable. The Health app redesign he discusses is not yet in public release.

Editor's Summary

A 9to5Mac columnist says the Apple Watch Series 12 has worked well as a WHOOP replacement during a month of testing, crediting its always-on heart rate monitor and a redesigned Health app that adds Readiness and Health Age. He argues the app lacks WHOOP's habit of starting each day at sleep, which he says better fits late workouts and late nights. Apple has not yet released the new Health app, which it says will return in a later iOS beta before shipping later this year.