About Apple Watch 8 rumors: new features, release date history, and price

 The Apple Watch rumors suggest that its release date is on track for this fall, but as of today, it won’t come with blood sugar and blood pressure monitors that were part of a series of Apple Watch leaks previously. They are, however, being tested at Apple. About Apple Watch 8 rumors: new features, release date history, and price.

The Apple Watch 8, expected to be released on September 23, 2022, may share the same launch event one-and-a-half weeks earlier as the iPhone 14 release date news Apple has a long history of announcing its new smartphone – and often its new Apple Watch – during the second full week of September at 1pm ET and making it available in stores the Friday of the next week (the third Friday of a full week in September).

There are going to be three Apple Watch 8 versions this time around: Apple Watch SE 2022, and the sporty Apple Watch Rugged Edition. But the latest Apple Watch 8 news shows that testing of the blood-pressure monitor has hit a snag, writes Bloomberg’s ace reporter on the Apple beat Mark Gurman.

Why trust my Apple Watch 8 analysis?

I’ve reviewed, tested, or owned every Apple Watch since the original Apple Watch launched in April 2015. So news coverage of the Apple Watch 8 is nothing new to me and I can tell which rumors seem accurate and which seem far-fetched.

I have also tested rival smartwatches from Samsung and fitness trackers from Fitbit, which often launch novel tech features ahead of Apple. The blood pressure monitor, for example, is already in the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, as I’ll explain below. So I’m fully versed in the smartwatch space to write Apple Watch 8 news.

Apple Watch 8 release date history

The Apple Watch 8 release date would be harder to pin down if it wasn’t for Apple’s long history of launching a new Apple Watch every September since the Apple Watch Series 2, with the expectation of the Apple Watch 7, which faced delays and came out in October instead. So far, Apple Watch 8 rumors don’t indicate a delay.

• Apple Watch 1 release date: April 24, 2015
• Apple Watch 2 release date: September 12, 2016
• Apple Watch 3 release date: September 22, 2017
• Apple Watch 4 release date: September 21, 2018
• Apple Watch 5 release date: September 20, 2019
• Apple Watch 6 release date: September 18, 2020
• Apple Watch 7 release date: October 15, 2021

The Apple Watch release date history indicates that September 23 is the most likely release date. With no reporting about Apple Watch delays so far, we’re on track.

Apple Watch 8 price

There’s no word on an Apple Watch 8 price increase in the report. The current Apple Watch 7 starts at $399 and the Apple Watch SE starts at $279. The Apple Watch 3 hangs on at $199 as of today, April 19, but that may end on September 23, 2022.

My retail sources – the same insiders who provide me PS5 restock information – expect Apple to discontinue the Series 3 as soon we have an Apple Watch 8 launch date. Supply of the $199 Apple Watch should dwindle leading up to the fall. The Apple Watch SE 2 should take its place as the lowest-priced option.

No Apple Watch 8 blood pressure monitor

The Apple Watch blood-pressure sensor – said to be four years in development – won’t be ready until at least 2024, meaning it may be an Apple Watch 9 feature, with the caveat that the sensor could slip to a further date in 2025.

Apple’s biggest rivals in the smartwatch space, Samsung and Fitbit, are further along today. I tested the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 blood pressure monitor seven months ago (and Galaxy Watch 3 before that) but it requires frequent calibration to reduce unpredictable readouts. This is likely what Apple – the “it just works” company – wants to avoid. Google-owned Fitbit launched a study last year for some users.

Even with the Apple Watch 8 delay, the planned blood pressure feature isn’t being designed to detail specific systolic and diastolic readings, reports Gurman. It’s looking for trends to warn of hypertension (high blood pressure). This sounds similar to alerts sent by an Apple Watch 4 or later (but not the SE) when the ECG detects an irregular heartbeat or atrial fibrillation (AFib).

If you’re buying an Apple Watch 8, you’ll have to invest in a separate blood pressure sensor for the time being if you want to monitor for blood pressure.

No Apple Watch 8 blood sugar monitor

Apple Watch 8 rumors about a blood sugar monitor have also been reported but are even more premature. That’s become a rule of thumb for smartwatch speculation – it’s a lot more hopeful thinking rather than leaks grounded in reality.

As expected, Apple’s non-invasive blood sugar monitor several years away, reports Gurman, so diabetics will have to continue to rely on third-party glucose meters that can be tied to existing Apple Watch models and the iPhone Health app. The good news is Apple is said to be improving support for third-party blood sugar monitors.

Apple Watch 8 body temperature sensor

The third sensor in development is actually poised to launch with the Apple Watch 8. Apple has been working on a body-temperature sensor to aid fertility planning initially and expand use cases from there. Expect high body temperature alerts rather than taking body temperature measurements, notes Gurman.

New Apple Watch low-power mode

Moving beyond Apple Watch 8 sensors that are coming and now delayed, the WWDC keynote should reveal an Apple watchOS 9 update that comes with a much-needed low-power mode. Currently, Apple’s Power Reserve mode prolongs battery life by turning off all features except the current time. There’s no in-between.

An Apple Watch low-power mode could mimic what we see on the iPhone, where battery-draining features like screen brightness, push notifications and the always-listening “Hey Siri” could be dialed back. We should see the power reserve mode in the watchOS 9 betas and be able to test it right away on June 6 – if Apple doesn’t restrict it to the new Apple Watch 8 while touting better battery life.

Apple Watch 8 satellite connectivity

The Apple Watch 8 could finally bring about satellite connectivity, something we first heard about right before the Apple Watch 7 launched. It’s a new feature that was said to be destined for future Apple Watch and iPhone models. It would enable wearers to send emergency text messages, even out of cellular range.

Along with fall detection, satellite connectivity for sending SOS messages would help cement the Apple Watch as the company’s Swiss Army safety device. A use case for this feature might involve being in a crash or stuck overseas with spotty (or expiring SIM card) cellular connectivity after a robbery (maybe speaking from experience). First responders would be able to get your message.

Health and Workout watchOS 9 app updates

There are some new features coming to the always-expanding Health app on the iPhone care of the forthcoming iOS 16 update, and that ties into what you’ll see with watchOS 9 and Apple Watch 8. Again, we may see a sneak peek at WWDC in June.

Sleep tracking may be more refined while a new medicine management tool could send reminders of when to take pills. Gurman notes that the idea is to have Apple users scan their pill bottles into the Health app, but that not all features may be ready for launch.

The Workout app should continue to see new workout types and additional metrics in the watchOS 9 updates, while Apple is rumored to be a refreshing watch face of the Apple Watch. There’s still no third-party watch face support among the Apple Watch 8 leaks today, but maybe that’ll come to future Apple Watch models – along with the now-delayed blood pressure sensor and even more distant blood sugar monitor.

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3 Cool Tricks to Get the Most Out of your Apple Watch Heart Rate Monitor

 Even though it’s not perfect, your Apple Watch is a great tool to keep your health in check. You can use it to monitor the noise around you, track all your workouts, and even keep track of your heart rate throughout the day.

The Apple Watch uses the green led lights on its underside to measure your heart rate during workouts, mindfulness breathing sessions, or just when you’re sitting on your couch all day. 

Still, if you aren’t that knowledgeable about the subject, you may not understand what every number in the Heart Rate app means. But don’t worry; it’s actually easier than you may think. Here’s everything you need to know. 

What Your Heart Rate Numbers Mean

If you go to the Heart Rate app on your Apple Watch, you’ll see that your Watch measures your heart rate during three different moments throughout the day. Let’s dissect them.

Current Heart Rate

This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but your current heart rate will show you what your heart rate looks like right now. This is the best way to find out how your heart is doing with your Apple Watch because you’ll get an immediate response with your current beats per minute, or bpm.

Depending on what you’re doing, on average, you should see a number between 60 bpm to 100 bpm. This is a normal range.

Resting Rate

The resting rate section will show you your heart rate when you sleep. You’ll need to use your Apple Watch while going to bed at night to measure your heart. 

This is the lowest your heart will beat in the day. Again, numbers might look different to you, but on average, you should see anywhere between 60 bpm to 80 bpm while you sleep.

Walking Average

As you can probably tell, the walking average will show you your heart rate while you’re walking. Your Apple Watch can automatically detect when you’re walking and will scan you so you know how well you’re doing. Keep in mind that this measurement will vary a lot depending on if you’re walking as an exercise or walking really fast. So yours might be very different, but some people’s heart rate can go up to 120 bpm.

1: Manage Your Workouts

If you use the Workout app, your Apple Watch will actively track your heart rate constantly during the workout and then up to 3 minutes after you’re done to give you a better reading. 

These numbers will vary completely on who you are. Factors like age and how physically active you are will be involved during this measurement. 

Plus, the workout you do is important too. Some workouts like HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) are made to increase your heart rate to the max, so you can expect to heart to pump up to 200 beats per minute. 

As we mentioned, your Apple Watch will track your heart rate up to 3 minutes after you finish your workout. This is to show you how well your heart rate drops after exercising. Again, this is completely different from person to person. Fit people will have a faster recovery, but you’ll probably see your heart rate drop anywhere between 20 to 30 bpm in the first couple of minutes after you finish a workout.

2: Check Your Heart Rate on Your iPhone

If you’ve had your Apple Watch for a while, you can see a chart of your heart rate in the last few weeks, months, and even a year. Here’s how:

1. On your iPhone, open the Health app.
2. Tap on the Browse tab in the bottom right corner of your screen.
3. Select Heart.
4. Tap on Heart Rate. 

On Heart Rate, you can see your heart rate range along with a bit more information. You can also go back by tapping the back button in the top left corner and check your performance over the past seven days.

3: Make Your Apple Watch Notify You If Something’s Wrong

Your Apple Watch can notify you whenever your heart rate is too high or too low. This is especially helpful if you already suffer from heart disease, but everyone can use this feature to prevent a major problem. 

There are many people who claim their Apple Watches saved them because of notifications like this, so it’s worth giving it a shot. 

Enable Heart Rate Notifications on Apple Watch

1. Press the Digital Crown to go to your Apple Watch’s Home Screen.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Scroll down and tap on Heart.
4. Scroll down again and select High Heart Rate Notifications.
5. Choose the Threshold you want. 
6. Tap in the top left corner of your screen to go back.
7. Tap on Low Heart Rate Notifications.
8. Choose your Threshold again. 

Enable Heart Rate Notifications on iPhone

1. Open the Watch app.
2. Scroll down and tap on Heart.
3. Tap on Hight Heart Rate.
4. Select your Threshold.
5. Go back to the previous page and tap on Low Heart Rate.
6. Select your Threshold again. 

Now, if you reach your threshold, your Apple Watch will notify you instantly. 

What to Do If Your Heart Rate Doesn’t Feel Right

Everyone’s heart is different, and yours might function differently than others, even without a heart condition. 

With that said, average heart rates exist so we can better understand how well our heart is working while we relax, work out, or even eat. Your heart rate might go up instantly, and that might feel scary, but it could be for something as normal as eating or going up the stairs. 

Still, if you think something’s wrong with your heart rate, the only thing you should do is visit your healthcare provider. You can’t really find the answers to your specific situation online. The only way to figure out if your heart rate is okay or not is to go with someone with more knowledge on the subject and much better equipment than just a watch on your wrist. 

Even if you feel like nothing’s wrong with your heart rate, it’s always a good idea to visit your health provider every now and then and do regular check-ups after a while just to make sure everything’s working fine. 

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