Apple’s next big event is round the corner and rumors have started to pour in about the devices such as the new iPhone and features that these devices might have. One such potential feature is a native sleep tracking ability on the upcoming versions of Apple Watch.
Apple is reportedly working on this sleep monitoring feature which doesn’t require special hardware and allows the user to wear the Watch to bed, 9to5mac reported, citing sources inside Apple. This new feature called ‘Time in Bed Tracking’ will track the user’s quality of sleep using its multiple sensors and inputs, including the person’s movement, heart rate, and noises, the report said.
Apple acquired Beddit, a company that creates sleep tracking hardware and a companion application, in 2017 and since, has sold numerous sleep tracking hardware manufactured by Beddit. According to some speculations, Apple might utilize Beddit’s technology in the upcoming versions of the Apple Watch.
Though there were applications that could be used to track sleep on the Watch, such as AutoSleep, Pillow, Sleep++, Sleep Cycle, and SleepWatch, they rely on corresponding health apps on iPhone to work properly. Some even require taming the Watch so that it can work overnight to track sleep properly.
If Apple introduces a native sleep tracking feature, there would be no need for any such device taming. Also, it could prove to be a plus point for the device’s sales. Apple’s iPhone didn’t perform well in the last quarter whereas the sales of Apple Watches have experienced a rise. So, it won’t be surprising if Apple focuses more on improving wearables.
With the inclusion of a sleep tracking feature, Apple Watch will be able to play alarm, if there’s one set on the iPhone in-sync with the device. When the user will sleep, the Watch will automatically switch to Do Not Disturb mode.
According to 9to5mac, there will be a silent alarm feature that will vibrate the Watch when the alarm goes off instead of ringing. And for those who’re tired of hitting the snooze button, the Watch will automatically turn off/snooze the alarm (depending upon the preferred settings) when the user gets up the next day.
Whether Apple really includes the feature in the upcoming Apple Watch is yet to be seen. The answer will come from Apple’s next event which is just a few days away on September 10.
