Apple work on two new products for the health functions of its connected watch, according to 9to5Mac. The first is an improvement to the ECG app, which allows you to generate an electrocardiogram. The survey can give a first idea of a problem ofarrhythmia, to confirm or invalidate then to your doctor (read: Interview: cardiologists in front of the Apple Watch ECG).
According to the sleuths of the site, the Apple will remove one of the limitations of the electrocardiograph of the Apple Watch which currently grabs its feet in the carpet when the heart beats from 100 to 120 beats per minute (a concern for which Apple makes no mystery in this technical sheet). In this case, the ECG does not give conclusive results, and it is this point that Apple wants to resolve, whether in software or hardware.
The other novelty is the measurement of the amount of oxygen in the blood. This should go through a pulsed oxygen saturation (SpO2) sensor that others have experienced before Apple; this is the case with Withings with the old Pulse Ox bracelet, or the most recent ScanWatch watch. Fitbit also activated this function in its products, as a prelude to a more complete sleep monitoring function.
When it is too low, usually below 90%, it is a sign of poor oxygenation of the blood (hypoxemia), as Withings explains in this note. Good oxygenation of the blood, usually between 90 and 100%, is essential to provide the energy necessary for muscle functioning.
In this case, the Apple Watch could send a notification, as is the case when the heart beats too fast or too slowly for a certain period of time. We will see if Apple intends to limit this function to the Series 6, or if other models will be able to continuously measure the oxygen level in the blood. Since the very first generation, the heart rate monitor of the Apple Watch East a plethysmograph which, in addition to the rest, can act as a pulsed oxygen saturation sensor …
The manufacturer may want to further improve its heart rate sensor as it did with Series 4. The idea being to obtain the approval of the FDA, the American body in charge of the certification of medical devices which endorsed the ECG.
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