Unreleased Apple Watch Case Temperature Sensor Revealed in New Apple Patent

A new patent for the Apple Watch body temperature sensor suggests the feature could debut in the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8.

• What is happening? On August 10, 2022, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted a patent to Apple titled “Detection of Temperature Gradient in Electronic Devices” for a body temperature sensor that could fit a small wearable device such as the Apple Watch.
• Why care? Anything that helps you lead a healthier lifestyle deserves your attention. Knowing that you have an elevated body temperature can give you the ability to act earlier before illnesses such as COVID-19 or the flu develop.
• What to do? If your watch is up to date and you could use some of the new health sensors, then it’s time to start saving up for the upcoming Series 8 model, which is rumored to include a body temperature sensor.

Apple Watch case temperature sensor disclosed in patent

The text of the patent does not specifically mention the Apple Watch as a device suitable for this sensor, but the accompanying drawing clears up any confusion about the purpose of this sensor. As you can see for yourself above, one of the patent drawings shows an Apple Watch-like device with a dedicated body temperature sensor. Read: Important steps to set up your Apple Watch like new

The patent abstract describes a solution that uses both a temperature sensor and a differential temperature sensor. One end is in contact with a desired surface, such as your skin, while the other is connected to a temperature sensor, which is itself attached to a “back surface, such as the back crystal of a smart watch.”Apple’s algorithm then calculates the difference between the two ends. probe to obtain a differential temperature measurement from it.

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that future Apple Watch Series 8 models will only offer basic body temperature measurement features at launch due to perceived reliability and accuracy issues. This is because skin temperature can vary greatly depending on environmental conditions.

But judging by this patent grant, it seems that Apple has solved these problems – in the patent, Apple’s solution is called a “high-precision”and “high-precision”absolute temperature sensor. The patent was filed on July 21, 2020.

(1/3) Apple canceled body temperature measurement for the Apple Watch 7 because the algorithm failed to qualify before entering the EVT stage last year. I believe the Apple Watch 8 in 2H22 can measure body temperature if the algorithm can meet Apple’s high requirements before mass production.

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 1, 2022

This is the merit of four Apple engineers, including Chad Bossetti and James Clements. Both men are entrusted with several fairly important roles. Rossetti has been with the Apple Health Technologies group for over seven years. And his colleague Clements still works as a research and development manager in the field of mechanical engineering in the Health Technologies group.