An Apple Business Partner has shared exclusive information on future versions of the popular Apple Watch. According to him, they will measure blood pressure, glucose levels, and blood alcohol levels.
Apple turned out to be the largest customer of British electronics startup Rockley Photonics. The startup has developed non-invasive optical sensors to measure several blood-related health indicators, including blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood alcohol levels, many of which can usually only be detected with more invasive specialized medical equipment. Rockley sensors emit infrared light through the user’s skin, similar to the sensors on the back of the Apple Watch to detect heart rate and blood oxygen levels.
Rockley is currently preparing for a public offering in New York, and Apple is speeding up the process a lot, albeit indirectly. The company’s filing states that Apple has accounted for most of its revenues over the past two years and has an ongoing “supply and development agreement” with the company.
Rockley has already opened offices in San Jose, Oxford, Cardiff, Cork, and Helsinki. The company said its next-generation sensors could appear in consumer smartwatches and other electronics as early as next year. Presumably, they will first appear in the Apple Watch Series 8, due out in 2022.
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