A new report detailing the current production stage of the next-generation wearable says the Apple Watch 6 will include blood oxygen monitoring.

It is interesting that Digitimes says that the Apple Watch 6 production line is in preparation, but I am more concerned about the alleged blood oxygen monitoring feature that has been confirmed for the next smartwatch (via 9to5Mac).

We have heard rumors before that the Apple Watch 6 will have a blood oxygen monitoring feature, and even watchOS 7 has been suggested as a possibility, but this is the most credible report we have seen yet.

Blood oxygen monitoring, also known as SpO2 monitoring, measures oxygen saturation in the blood. If blood oxygen levels fall below a certain level during exercise, the Apple Watch can warn the user to relax before injury occurs.

Apple has more or less set the standard for health and wellness insights in smartwatches, but has been slow to release specific tools compared to its fitness-tracking peers.

However, the Apple Watch 6 will debut alongside Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 and follow the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 3, which is expected to launch on August 5. New benefits like sleep tracking in watchOS 7 and now hardware for blood oxygen monitoring may be how Apple presents Samsung's rotating bezel. Samsung's next lifestyle smartwatch is also expected to include these two features, which may narrow the gap between the two major smartwatch makers.

Once the Apple Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 3 are released, we will have to test which is better at blood oxygen monitoring (and other health features) The Apple Watch 6 is expected to arrive with the iPhone 12 this fall.

The Apple Watch 6 is expected to arrive with the iPhone 12 this fall.

During Apple's latest earnings report, the company's CFO Luca Maestri suggested that the company's new product is arriving several weeks later than the typical September date, likely due to supply chain delays. If so, the Apple Watch 6 could be scheduled for release in October, similar to the iPhone 12.