Will a future Apple Watch measure body temperature?
One of Apple’s latest patents indicates that big changes could be coming to the company’s products that will add more health capabilities, specifically temperature-sensing.
The patent, spotted by Patently Apple, is titled “Packaging Technologies for Temperature Sensing in Health Care Products”. It recognizes that current packaging technologies are important, such as system in package, embedded die and semiconductor very-large-scale integration technologies. These have led to miniaturized systems and devices being developed.
Among vital signs that are crucial to understanding a patient’s health is skin temperature. Subscribers to my newsletter, AppleUnboxed, will know that I’ve discussed how Apple has been looking into stress measurement, something where temperature metrics are crucial, for some time. You can sign up to the newsletter and get the first three issues free, here.
The patent comments that temperature sensor packages could be “secured within a portable electronic device,” or “to a fabric of a wearable device.”
Part of the patent on temperature measuring technology shows an earbud that looks distinctly ... [+]
Well, that could be anything, you say. You’re right, and that’s the point of patents like this. Except it also goes on to specify, “portable electronic devices such as earbuds” and there’s an illustration which includes more than a passing resemblance to an AirPod. That doesn’t mean which kind of AirPod (regular, Pro or Max) this kind of tech could be introduced to, but it’s clear of the general direction of product Apple has in mind.
So, that’s clear. How about the fabric or a wearable device? That’s pretty unmissably something to do with an Apple Watch, it being the company’s only wearable apart from its headphones. We’ve heard that new sensors would be coming soon, along with a new design.
And the only fabric part of an Apple Watch is the band. Now, let’s be clear, the patent does not mention Apple Watch, not once, but it does specify: “For example, the fabric can be integrated into a piece of clothing such as shirt, headband, glove, strap, etc.” That one word, strap, is the only clue that an Apple Watch might be the intended place for the temperature sensor to sit, but the fact that it’s there is all the patent needs.
The Watch strap is the perfect place for such a sensor as it’s pressed up against the skin at all times. On the other hand, it would be a complete break with previous Apple Watch design: Apple has never used the strap as placement for a sensor.
Although it makes perfect sense, it also means that not all Apple Watches would be equal. There’s never been an Apple Watch that offered more than another watch from the same generation in terms of features or electronics. Even the $10,000 Apple Watch Edition from 2015 differed only from the entry-level $349 model in materials (18-carat gold case, sapphire crystal display cover against aluminum case and glass display cover). The processor, sensors, memory, display and so on were all identical across the range.
So, this would be a departure unless Apple built the sensor into every band.
As always with patents, there’s no knowledge as to when or even if they might come to fruition. But the thought of temperature health metrics coming through the AirPods or Apple Watch seems to be getting that bit closer.
Now read about how an Apple exec revealed that health monitoring could be coming to AirPods in the future.
