A new report from DigiTimes says the upcoming Apple Watch Series 6 will add blood oxygen monitoring to its list of features.
Apple Watch 6 will feature biosensors that can monitor sleeping conditions, detect blood oxygen and measure pulse rates, heartbeats and atrial fibrillation, and will also incorporate MEMS-based accelerometer and gyroscope, all allowing the new device to continue to lead in measurement precision among wearable devices, the sources said.
The website reports that its sources say the next-generation Apple Watch’s new features are the result of close collaboration between Apple and Taiwanese company ASE Technology, which has reportedly obtained major backend orders for the device.
The report jibes with previous iOS 14 leaks that suggested Apple is working on an Apple Watch that has the ability to detect blood oxygen levels.
The discovered code indicates Apple will provide notifications when a user’s blood oxygen levels drop below a healthy threshold. A drop in blood oxygen level can indicate a serious cardiac or respiratory issue.
While it was previously unclear if the new feature would be limited to Apple Watch Series 6 devices, today’s report indicates it will be a Series 6-only feature.
When the original Apple Watch debuted in 2015, iFixit discovered the device’s heart sensors have blood oxygen level monitoring capabilities, but they have never been activated.
(Via MacRumors)