A report from The New York Times this weekend drew attention to the small but growing trend of wearing the Apple Watch on the ankle. What seems to be a viral trend on platforms like TikTok is the result of a practical decision. Some Apple Watch owners have wrists that are too small to get proper readings from onboard sensors like heart-rate monitoring.
The trend also includes some healthcare workers who are not allowed to wear anything on their wrist while working, and people with wrist tattoos that affect the watch's sensors. (One resourceful user discovered a Velcro strap from off-brand retailer Marshalls was comfortable to wear around the ankle.)
Apple declined to comment on this trend, but the company has previously said that its smartwatch is designed for use on the wrist.
This report comes ahead of the expected launch of the Apple Powerbeats Pro 2, the company's first headphones with built-in heart-rate monitoring.
