Apple Watch 6 rumors: Pulse oximeter, sleep tracking (and the battery to support it?)

The next Apple Watch (probably a Series 6) is still months from its big debut besides the rumor iPhone 12, 12 Pro and 12 Pro max. But there is still a lot of speculation about a Series 6 smartwatch that could stop us in the meantime. We’ve put together a summary of plausible and compelling new features for the Apple Watch Series 6 based on the latest leaks. Rumors and Apple Patents.

Design: A round Apple Watch, but not this year

Aside from a few minor changes like bigger screens, different materials, and different watch band designs, the look of the watch hasn’t changed significantly since Apple introduced the first Apple Watch in 2014. And it won’t be any different this year.

Rumors of a circular dial on the Apple Watch have been circulating for several years. Some of his Android counterparts like this Samsung Galaxy Watch have circular designs, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to believe Apple would follow suit. To add fuel to the fire, the company also released a few Apple Watch patents that shows a round display. But so far it’s only one way; the existence of a patent does not guarantee that Apple will use it in any product. Even if one of these patents became a reality, it would probably take years. Such a big change would require Apple to revise the watch’s hardware and software. We haven’t heard anything to suggest that this will happen in 2020.

New watch face options, but no business

The Apple Watch has countless customizable dials (so-called “complications”) that range from animated Disney characters to weather-centered user interfaces. But Apple still hasn’t loosened the reins Third-party watch facesand we don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Instead, Apple can allow users to do this share Dials. After a 9to5MacEvery dial configuration is released as a unique file via AirDrop. The report, which cited leaked iOS 14 code as a source of information, also says that WatchOS 7, the next version of Apple’s smartwatch software, will add an analog tachometer to its design options to measure speed and distance .

You may also be able to use shared albums from your Photos app to create a custom watch face that iterates through the photos in that album. That means family members can add individual photos to the shared album that everyone in the group can see on their wrists.

For patriotic users, WatchOS 7 can add an “international” option that allows you to select a country’s flag as a dial.

A new fitness app

Fitness has been at the heart of the Apple Watch since its inception, and Apple could go even further this year. According to MacRumorsthe company is working on an independent fitness app. Unlike the existing activity app, which tracks your progress and is already available on the Apple Watch (and iPhone), this app offers guided workouts for a number of different activities such as running, cycling, rowing, weight training, dance and yoga.

There is no shortage of such third-party fitness apps for the Apple Watch, but a native fitness app could get many of them out of business. The app would be on the iPhone and available Apple TV as well as the Apple Watch. And it could be free. The MacRumors report says there is no evidence of in-app purchases, but that doesn’t necessarily preclude a subscription-based approach like this Apple Music.

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Apple Watch Series 6: What to Expect

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Native sleep tracking can finally arrive

This could finally be the year Apple Watch gets native sleep tracking. Since the acquisition of the Sleep sensor Beddit in 2017, a tracker that sits under the mattress, there have been rumors that Apple is integrating a similar feature into the Apple Watch. A “sleep app” was also accidentally mentioned in a screenshot of Apple’s pre-installed alarm app in the App Store. The image was discovered by a reader of MacRumors back in October and has since been removed. April 30th Leak on Twitter this rumor seems to confirm.

Sleep Tracking is currently available on Apple Watch through third-party apps. One of the biggest hurdles for Apple was battery life. The current Apple Watch models last about a day and a half in normal use, but such a feature would require overnight monitoring. This would probably drain the battery much faster. However, it is in the company’s interest to solve this problem soon. many Apple Watch competitors like Fitbit and Samsung have had it on their devices for years.

Pulse oximeter for measuring blood oxygen levels

Even though the 6 Series doesn’t have native sleep tracking, Apple is likely to further expand the health and wellness features for the next Apple Watch.

This year’s major health feature could be the so-called SPO2 tracking. This would allow the watch to measure your blood oxygen level like a pulse oximeter and warn you if it drops below a certain threshold. after 9to5Mac. This is good timing because of some Doctors recommend pulse oximeters to monitor COVID-19 symptomsand people started Purchase of pulse oximeters during the coronavirus pandemic. The April 30 leak also confirmed this rumor.

The Apple Watch is already doing something similar with the heart rate and warns you if it detects an abnormally high, low or irregular heart rhythm that indicates atrial fibrillation (afib).

To make this possible, the Series 6 may require a new type of sensor, probably a pulse oximeter. Or it can be called up with a software update and the existing hardware can be used. The Apple Watch already tracks during the training using the GPS and the heart rate sensor VO2 max (or the maximum oxygen consumption) in the activity app.

Other health rumors include monitoring glucose and blood pressure on the next Apple Watch, but these may be further away.

A child-friendly Apple Watch

That was leaked iOS 14 code Reports also point to new tools for parents. Instead of giving their children an iPhone, parents who want to stay connected to their children could set up a second Apple Watch (completely separate from theirs) that uses their iPhone and Apple ID as the host. This would also give the parents the final say on what kind of content their children can access on the watch, e.g. B. Emergency contacts and music.

With a feature called SchoolTime in WatchOS 7, parents can even determine which apps can be used at what times to limit distractions in the classroom.

This would also mean adapting some of the health functions to younger users. According to 9 to 5 Mac, the ring system (used for activity tracking) would be based on different metrics. For example, the red movement ring would track active minutes instead of active calories, as is the case with adults. The watch will also encourage kids to keep moving by offering virtual rewards when they take part in sports or outdoor activities.

Pursuit of panic attacks and stress

The Apple Watch Series 6 is also reported to have several mental health monitoring features, including the ability to tell when the wearer is going to experience one Panic attack (Another current feature if it fails during the global pandemic). That rumor was too mentioned in the April 30 leakrelated to “Mental Health Abnormalities Detection”.