A new report by Barclay’s chip analyst Blayne Curtis suggests the iWatch could boast an ultraviolet light sensor.
According to Curtis, Texas-based Silicon Labs has come up with “the industry’s first digital ultraviolet index sensors,” which could land the company an iWatch contract.
These chips measure UV exposure to aid those with elevated risk of sunburn or just a general concern about excessive sun exposure, and we believe they may be of appealing to OEMs looking to differentiate in a crowded market. To that end, while these products have seen little public hype thus far, we believe SLAB has a win in Apple’s upcoming iWatch.
An iWatch with such a sensor could warn users when they were too exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, and recommend a sunscreen accordingly. Apple may well be capable of finding even more clever uses, too. Given the iWatch’s rumored focus on fitness, with biometric sensors to measure your pulse, steps taken and other health-related data, we wouldn’t be surprised if this rumor turned out to be true.
Source: Barron’s
