The Next Apple Watch Might Address a Long-Term Sensor Shortcoming

Apple is testing continuous heart rate monitoring on the Apple Watch Series 12, Bloomberg reports, a feature that, if enabled, would bring the company’s smartwatch into even closer competition with devices from Garmin and Whoop . Notably, both competitors collect heart rate data consistently to offer things like readiness scores, something that isn’t available on Apple’s wearables.

According to Bloomberg, Apple’s feature will work similarly to how it continuously tracks heart rate during workouts and extend that approach to the rest of the time you’re wearing an Apple Watch. On current models, the company uses a more multipronged approach, per a support page : Apple Watches measure heart rate during the day when you’re still and at periodic intervals when you’re walking but save continuous heart-rate monitoring for workouts when current data is most useful.

More closely matching its competitors could also enable Apple to offer new software features with the extra data it’s collecting. The company is reportedly interested in updating its Fitness and Health apps with “more wellness-related metrics,” Bloomberg says, like the kind you can already find in the Whoop and Oura apps. It’s not clear if Apple will go as far as tracking things like stress or readiness, but relatively recent additions like the Vitals app show the company is interested in doing more with the data it collects, even if its plans for an AI-powered health coach have been scaled back.

Those new software features could also be paired with an updated processor and a larger battery , along with the return of ceramic cases (in both white and dark gray) as a premium Apple Watch option. While none of these options sound as exciting as the prospect of Apple ditching the screen entirely on a future watch, they do suggest the company could have a meaningful wearable update in store for its upcoming event on September 9 .