Apple plans to add various sophisticated health sensors to the Apple Watch in the near future. The wearable might measure key parameters like blood pressure and blood glucose. That’s what reports say while warning that the features are still in development. It might take several years for Apple to deploy them. While the Apple Watch Series 8 might not pack such advanced sensors, it might ship with the first-ever temperature sensor to reach Apple’s wearable.
That’s according to a well-informed Apple insider. He claims Apple wanted to equip the Series 7 with a temperature sensor last year. But the algorithm did not measure up.
The temperature sensor challenge
“Apple canceled body temperature measurement for Apple Watch 7 because the algorithm failed to qualify before entering EVT stage last year,” analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said on Twitter. “I believe Apple Watch 8 in 2H22 could take body temperature if the algorithm can meet Apple’s high requirements before mass production.”
EVT stands for the engineering validation test phase of a device’s production cycle. That’s when manufacturers test actual prototypes of the new product. For example, the iPhone 14 entered its EVT stage more than a month ago, according to a report.
Kuo elaborated on the temperature sensor issues that the Apple Watch team encountered. “The challenge in implementing precise body temperature measurement is that skin temperature quickly varies depending on outside environments,” he said. “A smartwatch can’t support core temperature measurement in terms of hardware, so it needs an excellent algorithm to work together.”
Kuo’s accuracy aside, it’s too early to tell whether the Apple Watch Series 8 will get a temperature sensor this year. Furthermore, the analyst indicated that getting the science right is problematic for other players in the industry. Samsung is reportedly struggling with similar algorithms. Kuo says that the Galaxy Watch 5 coming in the second half of the year won’t support temperature readings.
Other Apple Watch Series 8 features
Kuo isn’t the first to divulge Apple’s interest in measuring temperature with the Apple Watch. Other rumors also claim that Series 8 will feature a skin temperature sensor. In addition to monitoring skin temperature modifications that might indicate the presence of illness, the sensor might also be used in fertility planning.
At the same time, we’ve seen rumors that claimed the contrary, that Apple might not deliver the feature.
Thermometer capabilities aside, the Apple Watch Series 8 should deliver health and fitness tracking improvements over its predecessors. Reports claim the handset will offer better Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) detection support than previous models. One improvement will be telling users how often they’re in AFib.
Finally, reports say watchOS 9 will offer updates to existing workouts. Moreover, the Apple Watch Series 8 might deliver support for tracking women’s health. Sleep and fitness tracking improvements and medication management features could be part of the new OS. Apple might introduce some of these features as soon as WWDC 2022 in mid-June.
However, the Apple Watch Series 8 announcement is more than four months away. If the wearable features a temperature sensor, Apple will not confirm it until mid-September.
More Apple Watch coverage: For more Apple Watch news, visit our Apple Watch Series 8 guide.
