New Air Quality Sensors
Multiple reports have been appearing recently that Apple is working on some form of gas chromatographic or air quality sensors for the Apple Watch. This could take the form of a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector for general health and safety purposes — saving lives by letting users know when they’re walking into a potentially dangerous environment, or even when the air they’re breathing may be less than ideal for optimal health, especially during high-intensity workouts.
A more recent patent discovery, however, suggests that Apple is also considering this as a way to have the Apple Watch detect blood sugar levels by “smelling” a user’s sweat — something that would be more directly in line with Apple’s health ambitions, as the company has been working on non-invasive glucose monitoring since before the original Apple Watch even came out.
Of course, these are only patents at this point, and there’s been no additional evidence that the features themselves are in development, but it’s certainly possible that Apple could have these new sensors ready in some form for this year’s Apple Watch.