The Apple Watch Series 7 might not have introduced any major new health features, but Apple is planning much bigger changes for the Apple Watch Series 8 that will ship later this year. A new report claims that several new sensors are reportedly on the way for this year’s model.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that this year’s Apple Watch will have a body-temperature sensor that would be used by women for fertility planning. Bloomberg states that the sensor could eventually be developed to monitor body temperature and check if it is within the normal range for the wearer, though it might not be ready for this year’s watch. However, it’s unlikely the sensor would ever display an actual measurement of body temperature.
The Apple Watch’s atrial fibrillation feature could be updated so it can calculate how often a person experiences atrial fibrillation over a period of time, a state called “burden.” Bloomberg reports that this feature could be in watchOS 9 and then become available when the new Apple Watch ships in the fall.
Bloomberg also reported that Apple is working on blood pressure (hypertension) and blood sugar monitors, but neither feature will be ready for several years.
Apple announced that its Worldwide Developer Conference is happening the week of June 6, which is when the company reveals major revisions of its operating systems, including watchOS. Along with the usual new faces, one new feature we could see in watchOS 9 is a low-power mode that allows for some apps and features to run while the rest of the watch conserves power to extend battery life. The Apple Watch currently has a Power Reserve feature that displays just the time when the battery reaches 10 percent or less.
Bloomberg also reiterated an earlier rumor that Apple could release three models this year, including a rugged model and a larger size.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor
Roman has covered technology since the early 1990s. His career started at MacUser, and he's worked for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.