One of the reasons the Apple Watch has proved to be such a popular smartwatch is the fact it doubles as a health monitor, and it's apparently going to get even better at doing that when the Apple Watch Series 6 launches later this year.
As 9To5Mac reports, leaked information via Digitimes suggests Apple has managed to secure the required hardware to include blood oxygen monitoring as a standard feature of the next Watch. The human body requires a very specific oxygen mix in our blood, with a healthy adult having a 95-100 percent mix. If thje mix falls below that, it can cause serious problems including compromising heart and brain function. If left untreated, it can lead to respiratory or cardiac arrest. Blood oxygen is therefore a great thing to be able to monitor.
It's believed that Apple will be using a blood oxygen sensor supplied by ASE Technology in Series 6. Back in June, Apple detailed the features coming with the launch of WatchOS 7 during its Worldwide Developer Conference, but blood oxygen monitoring wasn't mentioned. If this new report proves accurate, clearly Apple was waiting to secure a supply of sensors before announcing the feature, which will likely now be unlocked for WatchOS 7 when the Series 6 is unveiled. It also means Series 5 owners won't be able to take advantage of the feature, giving them the perfect excuse to consider upgrading.
Apple has released every new series of the Watch in September so far, and therefore it seems very likely it will do the same for the Series 6. If you can hold out on purchasing one until then, you may get yourself an even more robust health monitoring device on your wrist that also happens to be a timepiece.
Further Reading
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- Samsung Isn't Ditching the Galaxy Watch's Physical Rotating Bezel
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