Apple Watch Series 8 will reportedly be able to detect if you have a fever

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

According to a report from Mark Gurman, the Apple Watch Series 8 will come with a body temperature sensor that can tell you if you are sick. Instead of giving you an exact reading, Gurman believes the watch should be able to detect a spike in body temperature, and then encourage you to use a Thermometer.

According to Gurman, the body temperature sensor has to pass internal testing before it can be used in the Watch Series 8. The Apple Watch SE won't have a sensor.

There are rumors of a new body temperature sensor. Gurman backtracked on his prediction in January of this year after pointing out the possibility in June. He said that a body temperature sensor can be expected as early as this year. The sensor will debut later this year, according to a supply chain analyst.

According to previous reports from Gurman and The Wall Street Journal, the body temperature sensor could be used for fertility tracking, where it could help someone determine when they are more likely to get pregnant or when they are going to get their period. Gurman only mentioned fever detection in his most recent report, so it's not clear how Apple will add cycle- tracking capabilities.

Aside from the body temperature sensor, Gurman says any other changes to the Apple Watch's hardware will probably be minor. Last week, Gurman predicted that the Series 8 processor will have the same level of performance as the previous S7 and S6 chips, but we won't see an upgrade until 2023. According to Gurman, the new model of AirPods Pro, which is rumored to have a focus on fitness, won't come with temperature or heart rate detection this year.