The smartwatch could detect potential fevers in wearers.
Apple is remaining fairly quiet about the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8. As of writing, there still isn’t a release date, though rumors are circulating that Apple is shooting for release sometime in September. Speaking of rumors, a new rumor has begun making the rounds related to the smartwatch’s new health features.
According to a rumor picked up by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the Apple Watch Series 8 will feature a new temperature sensor, allowing it to detect the fluctuations in its wearer’s body temperature. This, in turn, would allow the watch to detect when its wearer could be developing a fever. To clarify, this would not be the same thing as an actual thermometer, but rather a gentle warning of abnormally high body temperatures.
“The body-temperature feature won’t give you a specific reading—like with a forehead or wrist thermometer—but it should be able to tell if it believes you have a fever,” Gurman explains. “It could then recommend talking to your doctor or using a dedicated thermometer.”
Apple has been allegedly workshopping this feature for a while now, leaving off of Apple Watch models since they couldn’t quite get it right, but according to Gurman, the Series 8 is where they’ve finally nailed it.
