The Apple Watch Series 8 is expected to be announced alongside the rumored iPhone 14 at the company’s launch event today, and it could mark a couple of milestones for Apple’s popular smartwatch. It may be the first to come in a new “Pro” version for extreme sports and that includes a temperature sensor. That is if reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal turn out to be true.
Read more: Apple event 2022: How to watch today’s iPhone 14 reveal live
The Series 7, which Apple introduced alongside the iPhone 13 lineup last September, didn’t receive many significant changes aside from its enlarged screen, faster charging and improved durability. Other than the expected temperature sensor, the standard 8 Series can follow the same route. Bloomberg reports that the Series 8 hardware will be broadly similar to the Series 7.
We’ll know for sure when Apple announces its next smartwatch. The company is expected to introduce the Series 8, a Pro version of the Series 8 and a new Apple Watch SE soon. Until then, current Apple Watch owners will get new software features when WatchOS 9 debuts this fall.
Read more: The best smartwatches for 2022
Health: Apple Watch Series 8 may debut a temperature sensor
Years before the pandemic, Apple already had long-term health ambitions for its popular wrist accessory, with CEO Tim Cook describing health as Apple’s “greatest contribution to humanity.” And according to reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, Apple may further those ambitions with the addition of a temperature sensor to the Apple Watch Series 8.
According to reports, the temperature detection feature could bring new fertility planning tools to Apple’s smartwatch. A more recent Bloomberg report suggests that the Series 8 can detect fevers. But that doesn’t mean you should expect to get a specific temperature reading like you would when using a standard thermometer. Instead, Bloomberg says you’ll probably be able to tell if you might have a fever and would recommend using a dedicated thermometer or seeing a doctor.
Other health features are also reportedly in Apple’s portfolio, though those tools are said to still be in development. They include glucose monitoring, a tool that alerts users if their blood oxygen level is low, sleep apnea detection and blood pressure monitoring, according to the Journal and Bloomberg. But those features are expected to be a long way off and likely won’t appear on the Apple Watch for years. Bloomberg reported that the blood pressure tool would not be ready until 2024 at the earliest.
The blood pressure technology would likely work by using sensors to measure the speed of the wave that a heartbeat sends through a person’s arteries, the Journal reports. Unlike traditional blood pressure monitoring cuffs, which are usually strapped to the upper arm, they will not provide baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements. Instead, it would tell you how your blood pressure is trending, the report said. Samsung has previously incorporated a similar blood pressure feature in the Galaxy Watch 4, which is available in some countries and regions such as South Korea and Europe, where it has received regulatory approval.
Read more: A new Apple Watch SE sounds more exciting than the 8 Series
A new model: the robust Apple Watch Pro
According to Bloomberg, Apple will launch its biggest smartwatch yet this fall. This new model, which has been known as Apple Watch Pro or Apple Watch Explorer Edition, will have a larger screen of almost 2 inches, a bigger battery and a more durable exterior compared to the standard flagship model. This watch would be aimed at those who participate in extreme sports and other adventurous outdoor activities.
The increased display means the Apple Watch Pro will have 7% more screen real estate than the current largest Apple Watch, which is the Series 7, according to the report. This could tie in well with the new fitness stats that Apple just announced in WatchOS 9. Bloomberg has been reporting on this rugged new Apple Watch since last year, but recently released newer details on the size of bigger screen and battery.
Design: The Apple Watch Series 8 may have a new size
Overall, the overall aesthetic of the Apple Watch has remained largely unchanged since the original made waves in 2015. But rumors suggest that Apple could add another new Apple Watch size after expanding the display of the Series 7. According to posts on Twitter by display analyst Ross Young, a third size of the Apple Watch may come to fruition this year. Bloomberg also says there has been internal discussion about the 8 Series getting an updated screen, but it’s unclear if that means it would change in size.
However, there is a possibility that this new screen size will be exclusive to the so-called Apple Watch Pro. A July 6 report from Bloomberg says the new rugged Apple Watch will have a screen that’s nearly two inches diagonally, while the regular Series 8 screen will be the same size as the Series 7.
Performance: Similar to the 7 series
Apple doesn’t plan to make major changes to the Series 8’s performance, according to Bloomberg. The Series 8 processor appears to have the same specs as the Series 7 chip, which already shares many similarities with the Series 6 chip. Apple is saving a bigger processor upgrade for the Apple Watch from next year, Bloomberg reports.
The decision to keep essentially the same processor for three generations of Apple Watch is significant. It suggests that the Apple Watch has matured to the point where year-over-year performance changes aren’t very dramatic. Instead, the biggest areas where the Apple Watch is showing signs of growth include health tracking and new software features, as Apple has demonstrated with WatchOS 9.
Battery life: A new low power mode
Since the Series 8 is expected to have a similar processor to the Series 7, I would expect battery life to remain the same as well. But the Series 8 could receive a different update aimed at extending battery life: a new low-power mode. Bloomberg previously reported that WatchOS 9 would include a new low-power mode that would allow the watch to run certain apps and functions while saving battery life. This feature wasn’t included in Apple’s latest software update, but a more recent report from Bloomberg suggests that it could be coming as an exclusive to Apple’s next-generation smartwatch. The rumored Apple Watch Pro is also said to have a bigger battery, according to Bloomberg.
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