Eight things to know:
1. Apple held a virtual product launch for the new Watch Series 6, which includes mid-tier and high-end versions as well.
2. Apple Watch uses infrared LEDs and photodiodes on the back crystal of the watch to measure the light reflected back from blood and then has an advanced algorithm built into the Blood Oxygen app designed to measure blood oxygen between 70 percent and 100 percent.
3. Users can take on-demand measurements and the watch will take periodic background measurements during inactive periods, including sleep.
4. Data from the measurements are tracked in the watch’s app and users can see how their blood oxygen level changes over time.
5. Apple worked with the University of California, Irvine and Anthem to research how longitudinal measurements of blood oxygen, as well as other signs, can manage and control asthma.
6. The company also worked with the Seattle Flu Study investigators at the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine and faculty from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle to determine how long signals from the apps, including heart rate and blood oxygen, could detect early signs of respiratory conditions including COVID-19.
7. The new smart watch also has automatic handwashing detection and sleep tracking in addition to the blood oxygen sensor and app.
8. The Apple Smart Watch Series 6 pricing starts at $399.
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