Apple Watch Series 8: Everything we know so far
The Apple Watch Series 8 is the Apple Watch model that Apple will introduce in the fall of 2022. That’s still a good way off into the future, but some rumors are already painting a picture of what to expect. Read on as we recap the current rumors and expectations for the Apple Watch Series 8.
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What will the Apple Watch Series 8 be called?
Since Apple started to add numbers to the Apple Watch’s new models, it’s only natural that the 2022 version of Apple’s smartwatch will be Apple Watch Series 8.
That said, it’s likely that the 2022 model will replace Series 7, as Series 6 replaced Series 5, which replaced Series 4.
What features and specs will Apple Watch Series 8 have?
Apple Watch Series 8 design
After rumors about the new design of the Apple Watch Series 7 turned out to be false, users are expecting a more industrial design for the next Apple Watch.
With 41mm and 45 mm screens, the company could finally introduce a more flat-edge Watch with Series 8, although for now, leaks don’t point in that direction.
For example, based on some early leaked schematics, the Twitter account LeaksApplePro says that the only expected design change for Apple Watch Series 8 will be a redesigned speaker. Everything else should look exactly like it does on the Apple Watch Series 7.
Same processor as the Seris 7
In a February edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said he thinks this will be “the biggest in the history of the Apple Watch since the original model.”
After not updating the processor for Series 7, Gurman firstly said Apple was readying a new S8 SoC for the Apple Watch Series 8 bringing “major updates to activity tracking” with “faster chips across the board.”
After this reports, Gurman said he was told that the “S8 chip will have the same specifications as the S7.” But here’s the catch: the S7 chip is the same as the S6, which was introduced with the Apple Watch Series 6 in 2020.
That said, Apple Watch Series 8 will be as fast as the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Apple Watch Series 6. For the next year’s model, Gurman says the Watch is slated to get “an all-new processor.”
Body temperature sensor
As previously reported by Bloomberg, the Apple Watch Series 8 could feature support for taking a person’s temperature. This would require a new sensor to be added to the Apple Watch.
While last year’s [2020] upgrade centered on the blood-oxygen sensor (…) I don’t expect any major health upgrades until at least next year, when we may see a body-temperature sensor.
WSJ report also corroborates: “A planned use for the sensor in 2022 would be for fertility planning, the people said, giving women clues about where they are in their ovulation cycle.”
A few days before the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also corroborated with the body temperature sensor coming to the Series 8.
By the beginning of 2022, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said “body temperature was on this year’s roadmap, but chatter about it has slowed down recently.” While it doesn’t mean that Apple scrapped its plans to bring this new sensor, we still have to wait for new reports to make sure this feature will actually be released.
Last but not least, in April, Kuo doubled down on the body temperature sensor. He said:
“I believe Apple Watch Series 8 in 2H22 could take body temperature if the algorithm can meet Apple’s high requirements before mass production.”
Blood pressure monitoring sensor
A report by the Wall Street Journal in September of 2021 gives a glimpse of what to expect from the 2022 Apple Watch, as Apple’s smartwatch is still “at the center of Apple’s health ambitions.”
Blood pressure monitoring would be one of the key features of the Apple Watch Series 8:
The version of the feature under discussion at Apple would try to show users how their blood pressure is trending, but without providing a baseline measure of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, according to people familiar with these plans. Some employees have raised questions to managers about how useful such a feature would be, the people said, though they cautioned that the feature is still in development and could change.
Even though WSJ was positive about this feature, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes “blood pressure is at least two to three years away” from being introduced on any Apple Watch.
Blood glucose
Apple is also studying a watch feature that might detect diabetes, the WSJ says. The company is said to be “struggling” with this process, however, and has not made much progress on the efforts over recent years.
This isn’t the first time it has been reported that Apple is studying ways to monitor blood glucose with Apple Watch. Various reports over the years have suggested that Apple is developing a non-invasive glucose monitoring technology, with one report in 2017 indicating that Tim Cook has been seen actively wearing a glucose tracker prototype on his body around Apple’s campus.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also has a tidbit about when to expect this sensor: “I wouldn’t be surprised if glucose monitoring doesn’t land until later in the second half of the decade,” he writes.
Better sleep tracking tech
According to the WSJ, for the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple is said to be investing in new sleep tracking features, including the ability to detect advanced sleep patterns and sleep apnea.
One challenge for Apple in terms of expanding sleep tracking capabilities, however, is battery life. Apple is said to be investigating ways to read data from sensors overnight with as big of an effect on battery life.
Release date: When will Apple Watch Series 8 come out?
As it has been for quite some time, the Apple Watch is generally announced and released in September. Apple Watch Series 8 will likely be released sometime during the second half of 2022 with the iPhone 14.
As such, the Apple Watch Series 8 lineup is likely to be announced in September 2022.
According to a report by Ming-Chi Kuo, the demand for the next Watch may be higher in 2022, because it’s likely to add new health sensors that aren’t included with the Apple Watch Series 7.
In another report on December 2021, Kuo said Apple will unveil three new Apple Watch models. Likely Apple Watch Series 8, a new Apple Watch SE, and the previously-rumored rugged sports version.
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