Last year, Apple’s Watch Series 7 didn’t see the arrival of a new sensor, as it had the year before with the introduction of an oximeter. Apple may not introduce the highly anticipated blood pressure and glucose sensors for a few more years.
Major projects in progress…
According to Mark Gurman, the teams of Tim Cook and Kevin Lynch would encounter problems of reliability and precision in the measurement of blood pressure. The feature has been in development for at least four years, and its rollout could be pushed back to 2024 or even 2025.
Competing watches, such as Samsung’s, already offer a sensor for this measurement, but it requires monthly calibration with a conventional sensor to remain accurate, which does not seem to suit Apple.
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The objective of the Watch would be, as now with the cardiac sensor, to detect cases of hypertension and to warn the wearers of the Watch, so that they can make an appointment with a doctor.
At the same time, Apple is working on a blood glucose sensor, to allow diabetic users to take stock of blood sugar levels non-invasively.
Also according to Mark Gurman, this sensor is still under development and will not be ready for several years. To the point, moreover, that Apple has not assigned a release date for the moment. In the meantime, Tim Cook’s company would consider improving the management of third-party tools by the Watch.
New coming soon
But, if these two big innovations seem distant, the teams of Apple would prepare innovations which will be launched soon.
Thus, a sensor to measure the body temperature of the user could be integrated this year. It would serve to improve the monitoring of fertility in women, and thus contribute to a new set of functions geared towards women’s health.
Apple would also seek to improve its detection of atrial fibrillation, in order to determine how often a person suffers from this heart problem during a given period. The function could be integrated into watchOS 9, which will be introduced next June.
Fine-tune the overall experience
The teams in charge of watchOS 9 would also work to review and improve certain crucial points. Thus, the energy saving mode, which activates when the battery is almost empty, and which only gives access to the time, could now let users access some applications. This could be particularly relevant if a Watch Sports Extrêmes is indeed in the cards. It would thus be possible to continue to track a long-term activity.
Apple could also review and improve the Health application. Sleep monitoring, which still has a lot of room for improvement, would be reviewed. The Watch could also help with taking medication. Apple is said to be developing a function that allows you to scan a box of pills. It would then make it possible to follow which drugs have already been taken, and to remember which ones to take. All these novelties may not be introduced this year.
New products could also be launched in the field of fitness. The Exercises application could gain new tracking criteria for running, in particular.
Finally, Mark Gurman confirms his first revelations. Apple is preparing to launch three Watch models this fall. The Watch Series 8, a Watch SE, which would be placed at the entry level, replacing the Series 3, no doubt, and a Watch with a reinforced case – and improved autonomy? – for adventurous sportsmen.
Source : Bloomberg