Blood oxygen sensor, Touch ID rumored for 'watchOS 7,' Apple Watch 'Series 6'
Apple may introduce sleep monitoring, a blood oxygen sensor, and Touch ID with the "Series 6" Apple Watch and "watchOS 7" update, a new rumor suggests.

Upcoming versions of watchOS and the Apple Watch could feature highly requested features like sleep monitoring.
The Cupertino tech giant is largely expected to debut its watchOS 7 update at a virtual WWDC in June, and new Apple Watch models will likely debut later in the year.
In 2020, watchOS may finally add support for both sleep monitoring and blood oxygen level detection to the Apple Watch operating system, according to Hebrew-language site The Verifier and YouTube channel iUpdate.
The new update may also drop support for the Apple Watch Series 2 and include "improvements to Siri's intelligence that will allow it to do more extension operations," the site added.
Apple may also include support for LTE and Wi-Fi 6 on the "Apple Watch Series 6," as well as Touch ID in the Digital Crown and a larger battery. The latter feature will be especially important since current Apple Watch models require charging at least every couple of days, making sleep tracking inconvenient.
While no significant design changes are expected for that model, The Verifier claims that the so-called "Apple Watch Series 7" in 2021 will feature a fingerprint sensor embedded underneath the display.
The Verifier and iUpdate have a questionable track record of accurate Apple information. On Monday, the duo forecast an upcoming Apple TV model with a larger capacity and new tvOS 14 "kids mode."
Blood oxygen detection has been previously hinted at by snippets of code within a leaked version of iOS 14, however. watchOS 7 may also include new a new workout demonstration app, shareable watch faces and a "kids mode."
Apple is also working on other new developments for future Apple Watches, include an updated Digital Crown with touch and light sensors and a new type of housing made from plastic and ceramic fibers.

Upcoming versions of watchOS and the Apple Watch could feature highly requested features like sleep monitoring.
The Cupertino tech giant is largely expected to debut its watchOS 7 update at a virtual WWDC in June, and new Apple Watch models will likely debut later in the year.
In 2020, watchOS may finally add support for both sleep monitoring and blood oxygen level detection to the Apple Watch operating system, according to Hebrew-language site The Verifier and YouTube channel iUpdate.
The new update may also drop support for the Apple Watch Series 2 and include "improvements to Siri's intelligence that will allow it to do more extension operations," the site added.
Apple may also include support for LTE and Wi-Fi 6 on the "Apple Watch Series 6," as well as Touch ID in the Digital Crown and a larger battery. The latter feature will be especially important since current Apple Watch models require charging at least every couple of days, making sleep tracking inconvenient.
While no significant design changes are expected for that model, The Verifier claims that the so-called "Apple Watch Series 7" in 2021 will feature a fingerprint sensor embedded underneath the display.
The Verifier and iUpdate have a questionable track record of accurate Apple information. On Monday, the duo forecast an upcoming Apple TV model with a larger capacity and new tvOS 14 "kids mode."
Blood oxygen detection has been previously hinted at by snippets of code within a leaked version of iOS 14, however. watchOS 7 may also include new a new workout demonstration app, shareable watch faces and a "kids mode."
Apple is also working on other new developments for future Apple Watches, include an updated Digital Crown with touch and light sensors and a new type of housing made from plastic and ceramic fibers.
Comments
I absolutely think we are still in the era where every bit of extra battery capacity makes it better. My new 5 watch gets through the day pretty well (including sleep tracking), but finding 10 minutes here or there during a day is a mild inconvenience.
A dedicated "sleep mode" that really locks down the device from inputs and display would be better than our current best efficiency option of theater+swimming at night.
Now, if they could get an accurate blood glucose (i.e. blood sugar) monitor, I think that will be a game changer. (But that one is likely a ways off.)
I know. According to Apple support, they don't treat it like a phone. Don't know why. It'll pair with any other BT accessory.
This might not be comparable to the Apple Watch because the Samsung LTE doesn’t require a phone to make calls, but it’s something to consider...
I was looking for a watch that didn’t require a phone when I came across this info. Needing a phone also was a dealbreaker, and defeated the purpose of getting a smart watch.
Obviously both the Samsung and Apple were a fail for my intended purpose. But it was interesting in that a true Apple Watch/phone will probably not happen anytime soon.
The cellular Apple Watch makes calls without going thought the iPhone. You don need an iPhone to initially setup the Watch, but even now SW updates can be done from the Watch (someone not possible until last year), but that's it.
I have been without my iPhone countless times and have used the watch to send and receive messages, ask Siri for various info, and made and received calls from my Watch. it's aw wonderful utility and convenience.
Where are you seeing 3 hours of battery life on LTE? I'm guessing that it's 3 hours of life on LTE when on a phone call, but just being a connected and doing normal stuff should get you about a day. Tom Guide's says, "Samsung says the LTE version lasts about 24 to 36 hours on a charge, depending on which size watch you buy, but I didn’t get a chance to test an LTE model." That's what you expect from your always on iPhone compared to actual phone call time with your iPhone.
I’m not interested in a smart watch that requires a phone in any shape or form. The Samsung is closer to what I want, but battery life needs to be all day.
2) If battery life is your only concern with the Galaxy Watch Active 2 with LTE then you should go out and buy it today as it will last you a full day without being tethered to a smartphone—just like the Apple Watch—just don't expect that it also means you can talk on the phone for 10 hours per day. Now, if streaming music was your concern then that's still a limitation with that much data and high-powered connection to the cellular network and on-device processing for any smartwatch (not to mention the transport to BT headphones) and I doubt that will change anytime soon.
3) I hope that the smartwatch will grow in size and which from being portrait to landscape on the wrist as there's a lot of real estate to be had. At that point, we could see a device whose screen, battery, and other components are good enough to last as long on a charge and function similar to what the iPhone does now.
The other thing I have disabled is Wake Screen on Wrist Raise, under General in Watch Settings. I also have Wake for 15 Seconds instead of Wake for 70 Seconds to keep the screen off as much as possible whilst not looking at it.
My LTE Apple Watch lasts all day -- including sleep overnight as well as exercise tracking, phone calls, messages, etc....