Decibel App on Apple Watch

[greenpointer]

Thinking about getting the watch just for this app. Anyone know how accurate these types of apps are?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/db-meter-lux-decibel-measurement/id733773616?mt=8

It might be neat to have it on your wrist so you always monitor risky decibel situations.

 

[Dawn Whinetaker]

Hmm, that's an interesting concept. I swear you never know what Apple is going to come out with. I've never tried the app, nor do I own an Apply watch, but it sounds like it could work relatively well. I'd assume that they'd have the technology now to have a decibel measuring device integrated into a small mobile item that you can carry with you (like a watch). I think the ide of it is awesome- and if it works I'd like to get one myself as well.

 

[glynis]

Wow what will they come out with next.
Anything to protect ears is a great move in the right direction and has my vote.
....lots of love glynis

 

[linearb]

In general my experience has been that such apps are not great over about 85db because the little microphones you have in the devices just are not made to accurately measure loud sounds.

The way to find out would be to spend $25 on a real dB meter from Amazon or someplace like that, and then do comparisons between the two devices in a variety of sonic environments. Having done this with a Nexus 5, I find that my phone is quite accurate up to about 78 dB, and after that, it's sketchy.

 

[greenpointer]

FYI I looked into this, and you actually have to run the app on your iPhone as well... you can only "monitor the decibel level remotely" which is lame.

 

[Jued0713]

I had a Samsung Gear S2 watch and I wondered if it could have been partially responsible for my tinnitus because it started right around the same time I started wearing the watch. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Sam Bridge]

These apps are rubbish. In my room which is silent it is measuring 50 decibels...

 

[frohike]

The new Apple watch has a native decibel meter. I'm happy to see it will bring some conscience about hearing loss. No one told me back in the time!

From what I've read on the web, the phone decibel meters are quite accurate. I carry one on my iPhone.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003682X17309945

> The results show that the sound level meter app and an external microphone can achieve compliance with most of the requirements for Class 2 of IEC 61672/ANSI S1.4-2014 standard.

 

[frohike]

> For anyone curious about the accuracy of the #WatchOS6 Noise app, here's a comparison with a decibel meter this morning.

 

[bellecooper77]

I was going to start a thread on this but you beat me to it!
I think that this is a FANTASTIC thing, especially for people my age (teenagers/young adults), who don't often realize that they are damaging their ears. I know so many people with apple watches that this will help. If I had this at the beginning of the year, I probably wouldn't have tinnitus today.
I am for sure buying an apple watch for college. It sucks having to pull out my phone every time I want to measure the decibel of the areas surrounding me, and I can know when to get out of a place or put my earplugs in.