Apple is planning to make even more thorough use of biometric sensors for fitness and health-related purposes in future versions of the Apple Watch, according to new information from reputed tipster Max Weinbach and the EverythingApplePro channel on YouTube.
Weinbach says that Apple is working on functionality that will leverage sensors in the wearable devices to detect the signs of stress and an oncoming anxiety attack. This could trigger software to talk the user through breathing exercises in order to mitigate the stress, and over time, the software could learn to spot the early warning signs of anxiety attacks in order to take preventive measures.
According to EverythingApplePro, this information was leaked to Weinbach, though the video does not offer any further details about Weinbach’s source (or sources). Weinbach’s tip suggests that the functionality described is at least a couple of years away from a commercial launch, with a rough estimate slating it for 2022.
The planned functionality is framed as a broader effort on Apple’s part to make its HealthKit app, which is designed to collect biometric data from Apple Watches and iPhones, a more holistic health assessment tool going forward. Apple has been building health and fitness-tracking technologies into its smart watch line over the past few years, with perhaps the most noteworthy of them being an ECG capability allowing the Apple Watch Series 4 and later devices to monitor heart activity and even to detect the signs of atrial fibrillation, a serious condition that can lead to stroke.
Sources: TechRadar, EverythingApplePro
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