Apple Watch Series 8 will have at least one exciting feature for its users when it launches later this year: a body-temperature sensor. In his latest edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman doubles down on the new sensor coming to the next generation of the Apple Watch, while talking about the future Apple Watch SE 2 and a rugged version of the Apple Watch, most likely for extreme sports.
According to Gurman, he believes both Apple Watch Series 8 and a new rugged edition will feature body-temperature detection. The Apple Watch SE 2, on the other hand, is unlikely to receive this function.
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. It could then recommend talking to your doctor or use a dedicated thermometer.
Having a new sensor coming to the Apple Watch Series 8 is exciting, although it’s important to note that most of them need FDA approval. As of now, it sounds like the body temperature sensor feature coming later this year will be similar to the blood oxygen sensor, which can give you an idea about what’s going on with your body, and not necessarily give you medical information.
Apart from the ECG app, which is FDA-approved (and has been approved by other agencies across the globe), Apple can’t advertise that the Apple Watch can truly measure the oxygen in your blood, which sounds like the same approach it will take with the body temperature sensor, as described by Mark Gurman above.
In the newsletter, Bloomberg‘s journalist says that other hardware changes will “probably” be minor. As reported last week, the Apple Watch Series 8 is rumored to feature the same S6 chip available on the Apple Watch Series 6, making this the first Apple Watch to have the same processor for the third year in a row.
Last but not least, Gurman heard internal chatter about updated displays in the new high-end models, which he hopes they get even brighter.
