NEW YORK — It’s an annoying problem for the unlucky few: the Apple Watch’s heart rate monitor might not work if you have a tattoo on your wrist.
Inked and irked Apple fans have dubbed the issue “TattooGate” on Twitter, complaining that they must choose between their body art and their stylish gadget. Apple, for its part, acknowledged the issue on its support website.
“Permanent or temporary changes to your skin, such as some tattoos, can also impact heart rate sensor performance,” the site reads. “The ink, pattern, and saturation of some tattoos can block light from the sensor, making it difficult to get reliable readings.”
While the issue might sound like one of those “1 percenter problems” some Twitter users wondered how it happened that Apple didn’t have a single designer or tester with a wrist tattoo who would have noticed the problem. Apple suggests that users who can’t get a consistent heart rate reading connect their Apple Watch wirelessly to external heart rate monitors.