2 weeks Ago By Priya Singh
Apple seems to be planning an activity challenge to mark the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, first launched in 2015. The latest iOS 18.2 beta includes a reference to a "Ten Year Celebration" and hints at an activity achievement, suggesting something special is in the works.
Apple Watch May Soon Measure Blood Pressure with New Fabric Band! 🩺📈 Apple is reportedly working on an innovative fabric band for the Apple Watch that could enable blood pressure monitoring. #AppleWatch #HealthTech #BloodPressureMonitoring #AppleNews #Freefast pic.twitter.
com/nnkaXPPpS8 — FreeFast (@freefast_media) November 7, 2024 Since 2019, Apple has filed several patents focused on non-invasive health monitoring technologies. The latest of these is a patent for a new fabric designed for wearable devices like the Apple Watch. This innovative band, outlined in a newly granted patent, could allow the Watch to monitor metrics such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and more.
ALSO SEE: NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Faces Health Decline, Doctors Concerned About High-Altitude Stresses In November 2024, Apple was granted a patent for a stretchable, fabric-based band for devices like the Apple Watch. Made from materials like nylon and spandex, the band can fit snugly around the wrist and is embedded with sensors that monitor health metrics such as blood pressure, electrocardiograms (ECGs), and respiration rate. Apple Announcements Apple Silicon is still the star of the show; it makes all devices more powerful, efficient, and thinner.
Unfortunately, I found no upgrade-urgency since there's no outstanding new sensors on the watch (glucose or blood pressure) and Apple Intelligence isn't...
pic.twitter.com/52lPYHOXsS — Humberto (@patife) September 10, 2024 This patent builds on a 2019 patent titled "Fabric-based items with stretchable bands.
" It features a ring-shaped, stretchable fabric designed to fit securely and capture accurate health data. The fabric can incorporate sensor circuits for monitoring ECGs, blood pressure, and respiration, and may also include wireless power-receiving coils. These conductive strands, woven into the fabric, allow for wireless power transmission, reducing the need for frequent charging or battery replacements, making the band largely self-sustaining.
The patent outlines additional features, such as accelerometers in the fabric band to track physical activities, and sensors for monitoring respiration, environmental factors, and user gestures. The band could also be used in other wearables like headbands, armbands, athletic gear, creating an interconnected ecosystem for health tracking across Apple devices. Apple also addresses concerns about wearables' durability and maintenance, designing the fabric to withstand high temperatures, making it washable and resilient, ensuring both functionality and practicality for everyday use.
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