The Apple Watch Series 8 could come with a body temperature sensor. It wasn't included with Watch Series 7 due to problems with the algorithm.
According to tipster and TF Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple Watch Series 8 could come with a body temperature sensor. The report confirms earlier rumors that Apple is working on a new feature for its upcoming smartwatch lineup. However, even if the next-gen Apple Watch comes with a body temperature sensor, it is still likely to miss out on a few features that Apple has reportedly been working on for some time. According to a recent report, the Apple Watch won't get the much-awaited blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring features until at least 2024.
Ever since its introduction in 2015, the Apple Watch has remained one of the best-selling wearables in the world. It has seen multiple iterations over the years, with the latest generation released late last year. It comes with several essential health and safety features, including ECG and fall detection, that have saved the lives of many users over the years. The body temperature sensor is one of the features that the device doesn't yet have, but if the latest report is anything to go by, it might make its way to the Apple Watch Series 8 this year.
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According to new tweets from tipster Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is working on a body temperature measurement feature for its next-gen smartwatch line. In his tweets, Kuo claimed that Apple canceled the feature in Watch Series 7 due to problems with the algorithm, but the company has been working on sorting out those issues before the Watch Series 8 goes into mass production. If everything goes as planned, the Apple Watch Series 8 might ship with the much-awaited body temperature measurement function that has reportedly been in the works for some time. However, it is worth noting that Apple is designing the body temperature measurement feature to help with fertility planning, which means it might not show actual readings.
(1/3) Apple canceled body temperature measurement for Apple Watch 7 because the algorithm failed to qualify before entering EVT stage last year. I believe Apple Watch 8 in 2H22 could take body temperature if the algorithm can meet Apple's high requirements before mass production.
According to Kuo, the main challenge in implementing precise body temperature measurement is that "skin temperature quickly varies depending on outside environments." Given how difficult measuring body temperature at the wrist with just hardware accurately, the feature needs an "excellent algorithm" to make it work. This is where Apple has been facing a challenge, although going by Kuo's new tweets, it seems as though the company might have sorted out some of the issues, and the new feature might make its way to the Apple Watch Series 8.
Interestingly, even as the Apple Watch Series 8 is all set to get the body temperature measurement, Kuo says that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 might ship without the feature. While earlier reports suggested that Samsung could implement the new feature in its next-gen smartwatch, Kuo now claims that the company might not be ready for it yet. Either way, both the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Galaxy Watch 5 are expected to be released this year. It will be interesting to see if both eventually ship with body temperature measurement or if one of them misses out on it.
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