How Apple Watch Changed My Life: A 50th Anniversary Reflection
April 1, 1976: Apple was founded. Forty years later, to the date, I was a 25‑year‑old embarking on a health and fitness journey—and Apple was right at the core.
April 1, 2016: I started an Apple Watch workout streak that helped guide me to running. I’d never run in my life, but I started closing rings on my watch with a used elliptical at home. By fall, I was running; by New Year’s Day, I had lost 50 pounds.
April 1, 2017: I ran my first‑ever 5K race. My time: 26 minutes 46 seconds, an 8:36 pace per mile. I ranked 151 out of 2231 participants.
That first 5K was the beginning. Soon I was signing up for every race I could find—5Ks, 10Ks, and eventually seven half‑marathons. The Apple Watch had become a symbol for living a better day.
The Apple Health Ecosystem
The Apple Watch didn’t work alone. I logged my weight and other data with a smart scale that syncs to my iPhone. I tracked my blood pressure the same way. Reviewing all that data with the Health app on iPad gave me insights I never would have noticed otherwise.
And you don’t get the Apple Watch without the iPhone, and you don’t get the iPhone without the Mac. On those devices, I regularly process my thoughts with the Journal app—an activity that has proven just as important as movement for me recently.
Looking Back, Looking Forward
A lot of life happened between 25 and 35. I’m certain it would have been a whole lot harder without Apple’s focus on health over a decade ago. I feel stronger and more capable at 35 than I did at 25, and Apple’s health and fitness technology has been key in making that possible.
As Apple turns 50, it’s impressive to think about how much of its impact came in the second half of its 50 years. You can’t help but be excited for the future—knowing that Apple’s best work in health and wellness may still be ahead.
