Apple files a huge amount of patents every year – many won’t see the light of day, but there are some we hope will. A particularly exciting one is a patent to embed sensors into a watch strap to track health metrics, perhaps aiding Apple Watch blood pressure monitoring.
While the best Apple Watch on the market today isn’t exactly slacking, this could take it even further. This patent, discovered by PatentlyApple, encompasses a stretchable band, similar to the current Solo Loop offerings for Apple Watch, equipped with sensors capable of electrocardiograms, blood pressure tracking, and respiration rate monitoring.
This could free up space within the Apple Watch body for a bigger battery or thinner design, without limiting its capabilities, helping Apple’s standings among the best smartwatches. Apple may also apply this technology to a device like Vision Pro, which could serve a similar purpose or move the device more towards fitness purposes, rather than just entertainment.
When it comes to patents, however, it’s best not to get your hopes up, especially for anything to arrive anytime soon. Still, if you’re one of the many slightly disappointed by the latest wearable offering from Apple (we weren’t, as you can see in our Apple Watch Series 10 review), this could give you hope for an exciting refresh sometime in the future.
All in all, it’s an exciting prospect, but nothing to expect in 2025. For something you can get your hands on now, check out the best Apple Watch games for something to play on your wrist or the iPhone 16 review to see how the latest model fares.