A judge in Washington, D.C., ruled Tuesday that Apple infringes on one of medical device maker Masimo’s patents for light-based pulse oximetry sensor functionality and components used in Apple Watch 6 onward. The sensor measures blood oxygen levels.
Next the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will decide whether to ban imports of Apple Watches that include the sensor, Masimo said.
In a statement, Apple disputed the ruling.
It appears Ecobee, the Canadian smart home accessories maker, will soon release a new version of its SmartThermostat with an air-quality sensor built right in.
The leak of the upcoming product came in the form of a hidden image in an update to the company’s iOS app.
A deal between Apple and Rockley Photonics could add new medical sensors to the Apple Watch in 2022. That might include non-invasive monitoring of blood sugar levels, body temperature and blood pressure. It might even add the ability to measure blood-alcohol levels.
The British startup promises to “bring laboratory diagnostics to the wrist.”
Custom health chips could be the next big piece of silicon to come out of Apple’s labs.
Apple reportedly has a team of engineers exploring the creation of a customized processor is optimized to make sense of health information from sensors at a faster rate than the S series processors found in the Apple Watch.
The Face ID sensor on the new iPhone X may be accurate, but according to a new report it could have been even more so if Apple hadn’t been experiencing production problems with the handset.
With the prospect of losing holiday sales, Apple reportedly “quietly told suppliers” that they could reduce the accuracy of the face-recognition technology used in the new handset in order to make it easier to manufacture.
Apple has extended its service coverage for the first-generation Apple Watch. If you have a unit with a separated sensor panel, you can get it repaired for free by visiting Apple or an authorized service provider within three years of your purchase date.
The next major breakthrough for Apple Watch is currently being tested by none other than Apple CEO and fitness freak Tim Cook.
A new report claims that Cook has been spotted walking around Apple’s corporate headquarters wearing a special Apple Watch attachment that could be a game-changer for people with diabetes.
Apple’s great at hopping into new markets just as they’re set to explode, and it seems that the upcoming Apple Watch is no different.
Despite mixed reports about consumer interest, research firm IHS thinks demand for sensor-equipped wearable tech devices is going to see a major acceleration starting next year — largely thanks to Cupertino. Just how much of an increase are we talking about? Try 7x the size of the existing market by 2019, according to analysts.
“Similar to the iPhone and iPad, IHS expects the Apple Watch will set a de facto standard for sensor specifications in smartwatches,” says Jeremie Bouchaud, director and senior principal analyst, MEMS & Sensors. “Most other wearable [original equipment manufacturers] will follow Apple’s lead in [incorporating multiple sensors into devices] — or will add even more sensors to differentiate.”
The iWatch may be set to mark Apple’s debut into health and fitness tracking, but one company is taking the concept of wearables a step further.
The forthcoming $199 OMsignal shirt promises to be the gym wear of the future — featuring a ton of health sensors sewn into its fabric, which constantly monitor the condition of the wearer. Sensors are capable of tracking heart rate, breathing rate, breathing volume, movement (including steps and cadence), movement intensity, heart rate variability, and calories burned.
“The data is sent via Bluetooth to a specially developed iPhone app, which lets you see all of it in real time,” says Dr. Jesse Slade Shantz, the firm’s Chief Medical Officer. “Your iPhone beams the data up to the cloud, and algorithms we’ve developed then push back various metrics — showing you information about your breathing during workouts, and information like that.”
