Apple iWatch’s UV light sensor could stop you from turning into a red lobster on holiday

Fresh whispers from the rumour mill suggest that Apple will implement a sun exposure warning feature into its upcoming iWatch, along with a tool for measuring blood oxygen levels.

The speculation come courtesy of Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis, who believes that an ultraviolet (UV) light sensor from Texas-based Silicon Labs is likely to find its way into the iWatch.

While it might sound far fetched, we actually think there could be a decent amount of meat on these rumour bones.

We’ve taken a look at Silicon Lab’s product catalogue, and one particular series of sensors – the Si1145/46/47 range – sound like the perfect match.

For starters, a UV light detector is included, which means that the iWatch can track your sunlight exposure and warn you when you’ve had too much. 

We can imagine users entering their skin complexion into Apple’s all-but-confirmed iOS 8 Healthbook app, setting a baseline for the sun exposure warning. But there’s more.

Science

The sensors also include infrared (IR) sensors, which can be used to measure both heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

Esat Dedezade Contributor

About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.