Researchers at the University of Washington are working with Apple to study whether the Apple Watch may be able to detect and predict illnesses such as coronavirus and flu. The study is a part of Apple’s health partnership with the University of Washington and the Seattle Flu Study. If the study program is accepted, participants of the study will be provided with an Apple Watch to see if it can be done. 

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"The goal of the study is to see if the information collected by the Apple Watch and iPhone can detect early signs of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19," say the organisers on the recruitment page. 

"Researchers from the Seattle Flu Study and the University of Washington are teaming up with Apple to understand how everyday devices, like an Apple Watch or iPhone, can be used to predict illnesses like COVID-19," the Seattle Flu Study states.

The study will be focused on Seattle because the residents "may have higher than normal risk of respiratory illness because of frequent exposure to other people through work or other activities, health conditions, or other factors."

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This particular Respiratory Study will take “up to six months” to conclude where during the study participants will be required to answer questions periodically in the Apple Research iPhone app. If the participants fall sick while enrolled in the study, they will be sent a home testing kit for COVID-19 and other respiratory-related illnesses. Participants will then be asked to "take some additional health measurements using your Apple Watch.”

The Apple Watch has become an essential health tracking device where the wearable has been credited in the past for saving countless lives. The new Apple Watch Series 6 also comes with a SpO2 tracker that measures the blood oxygen levels of users.  In the past, the Apple Watch has been able to detect heart diseases as well. 

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