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Angela Lang / CNET
The next Apple Watch (probably a Series 6) is still months away from making its great debut along with the rumored iPhone 12, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. But there’s still a lot of speculation around a Series 6 smartwatch to hold us in the meantime. We’ve compiled a roundup of compelling and compelling new features for the Apple Watch Series 6 based on Apple’s latest leaks, rumors, and patents.
Design: a round Apple Watch, but not this year
Except for a few minor changes, such as larger displays, different materials, and various watch strap designs, the look of the watch hasn’t changed much since Apple introduced the first Apple Watch in 2014. And this year will be no different.
Rumors of a circular watch face on the Apple Watch have been circulating for some years. Some of its Android counterparts, like the Samsung Galaxy Watch, have circular designs, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to think that Apple would do the same. To add fuel to the fire, the company also issued a pair of Apple Watch patents that show a round screen. But so far, it’s only a possibility; The existence of a patent does not guarantee that Apple will use it in a product. Even if one of these patents becomes a reality, it will probably take years. Such a big change would require Apple to rework the watch’s hardware and software, and so far we’ve heard nothing to indicate what’s happening in 2020.
New watch face options, but no store
The Apple Watch has tons of customizable watch faces (known as “hassles”) ranging from animated Disney characters to weather-centric interfaces. But Apple has not yet released the reins for third party clock faces, and we don’t see that changing soon.
Instead, Apple could allow users share Look at the faces. According to a 9to5Mac, each watch face setting will be shared as a single file via AirDrop. The report, which cites leaked iOS 14 code as the source of its information, also says that WatchOS 7, the next version of Apple’s smartwatch software, will add an analog-style tachymeter to its design options that would measure speed and distance.
You can also use shared albums from your photo app to create a custom watch face that scrolls through the photos in that album. That means family members could add individual photos to the shared album for everyone in the group to see on their wrists.
Finally, for patriotic users, WatchOS 7 can add an “international” option that allows you to choose a country’s flag as your watch.
A new fitness app
Fitness has been at the center of the Apple Watch since its launch, and this year Apple can take it even further. According to MacRumors, the company is working on a separate fitness app. Unlike the existing activity app that tracks your progress and is already on Apple Watch (and iPhone), this one would provide you with guided workouts for a variety of different activities like running, biking, rowing, strength training, dance and yoga.
There’s no shortage of third-party fitness apps like this for the Apple Watch, but a native fitness app could put many of them out of business. The application would be available on the iPhone and Apple TV, as well as on the Apple Watch. And it can be free. The MacRumors report says there is no evidence of in-app purchases, but that doesn’t necessarily exclude a subscription-based approach like Apple Music.
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Apple Watch Series 6: what to expect
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Native sleep tracking may finally come
This could finally be the year that Apple Watch gets track of native sleep. Since acquiring the Beddit sleep sensor in 2017, a tracker under the mattress, there have been rumors that Apple will integrate a similar feature into the Apple Watch. An “suspend app” was also accidentally mentioned in a screenshot of Apple’s pre-installed alarm app in the App Store. The image was viewed by a MacRumors reader in October, and has since been removed. A leak on April 30 on Twitter seems to corroborate this rumor.
Currently, sleep tracking is available on Apple Watch through third-party apps, and one of the biggest hurdles for Apple to offer it natively has been battery life. Current Apple Watch models last about a day and a half from normal use, but a feature like this would require monitoring at night. This would probably drain the battery much faster. However, it is in the company’s interest to resolve this issue soon; many Apple Watch competitors like Fitbit and Samsung have had it on their devices for years.
Pulse oximeter to measure oxygen levels in the blood.
Even if the 6 Series doesn’t have a native sleep tracker, Apple is likely to continue expanding health and wellness features for the next Apple Watch.
This year’s great health feature could be what’s known as SPO2 monitoring. This would allow the watch to measure your blood oxygen levels, such as a pulse oximeter, and alert you if it falls below a certain threshold, according to 9to5Mac. This is a good time, because some Doctors Recommend Pulse Oximeter Devices to Monitor COVID-19 Symptomsand people have started purchase of pulse oximeters during the coronavirus pandemic. The April 30 leak also corroborates this rumor.
Apple Watch already does something similar with heart rate and alerts you if it detects an abnormally high, low, or irregular heart rate that indicates atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation).
For this to be possible, the Series 6 may require a new type of sensor, probably a pulse oximeter. Or you might be able to get a software update and use existing hardware. Apple Watch already tracks maximum VO2 (or maximum oxygen consumption) within the Activity app using the GPS and heart rate sensor during exercise.
Other health rumors include glucose and blood pressure monitoring on the upcoming Apple Watch, but these could be further away.
A kid-friendly Apple Watch
The leaked code for iOS 14 reportedly also references new parenting tools. Instead of giving their kids an iPhone, parents looking to stay connected to their kids could set up a second Apple Watch (completely separate from theirs) using their iPhone and Apple ID as a host. This would also give parents the last word on what type of content their children can access on the watch, such as emergency contacts and music.
With a feature called SchoolTime on WatchOS 7, parents could even determine which apps can be used at what times to limit classroom distractions.
This would also mean tailoring some of the health characteristics for younger users. According to 9 to 5 Mac, the ring system (used for activity tracking) would be based on different metrics. The red motion ring, for example, would record active minutes instead of active calories as it does for adults. The Watch will also incentivize kids to keep moving by offering virtual rewards when they participate in sports or outdoor activities.
Tracking panic attacks and stress
The Apple Watch Series 6 will also reportedly come with various mental health monitoring features, including the ability to detect when the user is about to experience a panic attack (Another timely feature, if resolved, during the global pandemic). This rumor was also mentioned in the April 30 leak, which referenced “Detection of mental health abnormalities.”
