Apple Watch Series 6 details begin to chime

We have even more new tips and tricks coming this fall in watchOS 7

If you’ve been watching the Apple Watch soap opera since the product was introduced back in 2015 you’ll almost certainly be familiar with the three biggest predictions around the device: Sleep tracking, diabetes sensors and the need for more battery life. Is this what’s coming with Apple Watch Series 6?

Let’s look at the evidence

We don’t have much tangible evidence, but a series of recent claims suggest the company is moving to answer (or at least partially answer) these needs. Not only does speculation claim the new watch model offers a much larger battery, but we’ve also heard the new device will deliver blood oxygen monitoring.

Apple’s development teams have been developing new sensor technologies for its smart wearable since the product was introduced. The powerful Activity tracking features inside the watch are horribly accurate, but the lack of all-day battery life means the device isn’t as useful as it should be when it comes to things like sleep tracking.

Sleep tracking

That’s despite Apple’s acquisition of sleep tracking tech firm, Beddit, what seems like a thousand sleep cycles ago. The introduction of a larger battery may change that, and this is what’s coming according to some reports – we evidently need to be able to use the watch for a longer period on a single charge if we need it to track day and night activity levels.

[Also read: 42 useful and sometimes obscure Apple Watch tips you’ll use]

Sleep tracking as a feature in watchOS 7 has already been confirmed by the company, so it makes sense to introduce a version of the device more suitable for the task.

Blood oxygen

Digitimes claims the new device might include a blood oxygen sensor, manufactured by ASE Technology.

This is particularly useful for COVID-19 sufferers, who reportedly often carry low oxygen in their blood.

This follows the recent discovery of code for the feature inside beta software. This isn’t the non-invasive diabetes testing we’ve been hoping for, but should be seen as a step in the right direction, as it involves sensor-based detection of blood-related information.

A new Watch for everyone

These aren’t the only improvements to expect in the new watch, which is anticipated to provide several useful enhancements. Indeed, you could argue that most existing Apple Watch users can look forward to a brand new experience as the new watchOS 7 code ships later this year.

This will include new ways to make the device more personal (including shareable watch faces and new health and fitness features, even including automatic handwashing detection and new workout types including dance.

A new hearing health feature give greater insight into overall well-being and Maps gains cycling directions. Siri will offer language translation.

The soon tone introduced Chronograph Pro watch face includes a tachymeter to calculate speed based on time traveled over a fixed distance and developers can offer more than one complication per app on a single watch face.

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