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.

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.

Not only that, 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?

Same design of Apple Watch Series 7

Apple Watch Series 7 is likely to receive a new redesign with a flat-edge design. With that, it’s rumored to feature 41mm and 45mm screens.

Since the redesign is coming for the 2021 lineup, Apple is likely to stick around with the same design for the Apple Watch Series 8, as the company tends to maintain the same look for the Apple Watch for around three years.

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 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.

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.

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.

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, this year’s is all about a new design with a flatter display and edges, a faster processor and slightly larger screens. 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, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also corroborated with the body temperature sensor coming to the Series 8.

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.