What you need to know
- Apple is working on adding sleep tracking to the Apple Watch
- It may be announced as early as next week at Apple's September event
- When available, it will track sleep quality and report findings to the Health app
Apple has long been rumored to be adding sleep tracking to the Apple Watch, and those rumors only increased after the they acquired Beddit, a sleep monitor company back in 2017. It has been one of the most requested features since the launch of the original watch, and there is now a sliver of hope that we all may get to see a glimpse of what Apple's plans are for the feature at its September event.
Reported by 9to5Mac, sources inside of Apple have revealed that the company, as we have all expected, is in fact working on adding sleep tracking to the Apple Watch. Codenamed "Burrito", the project aims to create what is to be called "Time In Bed Tracking" and give users the ability to quantify their quality of sleep by tracking movement, heart rate, and noises using the Apple Watch's many sensors like the gyroscope, accelerometer, and microphone. All of the information that is gathered will be stored in Apple's Health app on the iPhone and a potentially new Sleep app on the Apple Watch.
One of the main concerns about using Apple Watch to track sleep is battery life, and Apple is reportedly adding a feature that will remind users to charge their watch before bedtime so they can rest assured it will last through the night. When going to bed, the Watch will automatically turn on Do Not Disturb mode. In the morning, if you wake and get up before your alarm goes off, the Apple Watch will turn off the alarm for you. If not, it will only vibrate or sound the alarm on your Apple Watch, using your iPhone as a backup.
The feature apparently does not require any new hardware, so when it does get released it should hopefully be available to older models of the Apple Watch as well, although there is no way to know just how far back compatibility will be just yet. New Apple Watches are expected to be announced along with new iPhones at next week's September event, so if Apple is rolling out sleep tracking this year, this would the time for them to talk about it. Otherwise, we'll have to hit that snooze button and wait until WWDC 2020.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
HomePod mini fans in Mexico and Taiwan can now place their orders
Apple's HomePod mini is now available in two more countries, but a third will have to wait a little while longer.
Check your apps are M1-safe with this free tool from iMazing
Want to know which apps are compiled with Apple silicon in mind? Silicon will tell you and it won't cost you a penny.
Flighty's COVID-conscious update adds new cancellation alerts and more
Flighty has been updated to give fliers the tools they need this COVID-filled holiday season.
Don't let your Apple Watch get damaged; get a case
The best Apple Watch cases can help you avert disaster. You may think you don't need a protective case for your Apple Watch until it gets all scratched up, or worse, cracked. Don't make that mistake. Protect your watch from the elements.