Apple Watch 10 to measure blood pressure, blood sugar measurement was already planned for the first Apple Watch
A new report from Bloomberg provides an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the Apple Watch. As was already known, Apple began developing a non-invasive blood glucose sensor in 2011 - an directive from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. To keep this development secret, the sensor was developed under a subsidiary called Avalonte, which did not tell potential employees what they would be working on, even in job interviews.
This blood glucose sensor was supposed to become the centerpiece of the first-generation Apple Watch, announced four years later. To date, Apple has not been able to complete the technology; according to previous reports, the current prototype is simply far too large for a smartwatch. Avalonte's sensor uses a piece of technology called short-wave infrared absorption spectroscopy. Lasers are beamed through the skin into the interstitial fluid between the blood vessels and the intensity of the reflected light provides information about blood sugar. It is expected to be several years before this sensor is ready for the market.
But this doesn't mean Apple has no exciting new health features planned for the near future. After the heart rate sensor of the first Apple Watch, Apple has been able to add a SpO2 sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a skin temperature sensor over the years. Next year, the smartwatch's health features will be expanded to include blood pressure measurement.
However, this sensor is not nearly as useful as that on the Xiaomi Watch H1 or the Huawei Watch D because instead of providing precise measurement results, the Apple Watch is only intended to show users a trend of whether blood pressure is falling or rising over time, as well as provide alerts for high blood pressure. Apple is already working on a more precise sensor that will provide accurate readings, but this is not expected to be available for several years. The next-generation Apple Watch should also be able to detect sleep apnea, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6.
Source(s)
