- The next Apple Watch could help detect sleep apnea by tracking your breathing, Bloomberg reports.
- The new model of the watch may also be able to monitor your blood pressure.
If you've ever been woken up by the sound of your own snoring, it could be a sign that you're a serial snorer. Loud snoring could also be a sign of sleep apnea — a condition that can cause serious health complications if left untreated, and the next Apple Watch may be able to alert you if you're showing symptoms.
Apple has plans to introduce several new health-monitoring features in its products, according to Bloomberg, and one of the most notable additions is a sleep apnea detector on the next Apple Watch.
The feature, set to come out in 2024, will detect a person's breathing while they sleep and help determine if they exhibit signs of sleep apnea, according to the report. If if does, an app on the watch would then suggest you visit a doctor if it detects signs of sleep apnea. The Apple Watch will also include other features like the ability to monitor blood pressure, Bloomberg reports.
Right now, the Apple Watch does have some health-tracking abilities and can monitor things like heart rate and blood oxygen levels. In some cases, these features have helped people get diagnosed with and treated for health conditions.
The Apple Watch isn't the only tool Apple has been working to equip with health-conscious technology. For example, Apple wants to implement hearing aid technology into its future AirPods, according to Bloomberg. The company is also reportedly working to create a feature that will let wearers test their own hearing.
Finally, the Vision Pro — Apple's futuristic headset scheduled to come out in the first half of next year — could help track and improve wearers' mental health. Apple is reportedly debating adding a feature that will track facial expressions and pick up on signs of conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, according to The Information. The headset will then use its virtual reality technology to play sounds and show visuals intended to improve the wearer's mood.
Apple has been coming out with a new version of the Apple Watch every year since its 2015 debut. The upcoming watch, the Watch X, will be the tenth installment of the series, according to Bloomberg.