The Apple Watch could take a much more holistic approach to health in the future, according to new rumors, with plans in the pipeline for tools that address the mental wellbeing of users.
That's according to well-respected tipsters Max Weinbach and the folks at EverythingApplePro on YouTube. They say future Apple Watch models could automatically detect panic attacks and stress.
The Apple Watch already does a fine job of tracking physical activity, but the new leaks suggest that watchOS could evolve to incorporate a much fuller suite of tools covering both mental and physical health.
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Not all of these features would be available to all Apple Watch users however – the word is that anything older than the Apple Watch 4 might be left out when the upgrades arrive.
The waiting game
Based on the new reports, the Apple Watch would use its on-board sensors to warn users about panic attacks and stress, possibly talking them through some breathing exercises in order to stay calm.
Over time, the wearable would then learn to become better at spotting the early warning signs of stress or panic, which means anyone susceptible to these sorts of mental health issues could take precautionary steps to avoid them well in advance.
Don't expect these features to show up with the Apple Watch 6 though – Weinbach and EverythingApplePro say that they're at the early stage of development, with a full launch likely to be a couple of years away.
Despite the extended time frame, it's encouraging to see Apple working on packing even more functionality into their iconic wearable. We're expecting an update on the progress of watchOS 7 from Apple at some point in June.
