Apple Launches Study into Whether Apple Watch Can Detect COVID-19

Apple is launching a study into whether the Apple Watch can be used to detect respiratory illnesses such as coronavirus or flu, in partnership with the University of Washington and the Seattle Flu Study.

apple watch ecg
Apple initially announced the study at its Time Flies event in September last year, it but has only recently launched, as spotted by Apple Insider.

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. If you are eligible and decide to participate, you will be provided an Apple Watch to wear. The watch will collect information about your health and activity. You will also be asked to answer simple survey questions in the Apple Research app on your iPhone about respiratory symptoms and lifestyle on a weekly and monthly basis.

If you get sick during the study, you will be provided with a free, at-home nasal swab to be tested for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, and you will be asked to take some additional health measurements using your Apple Watch.

The study is expected to take "up to six months" and participants accepted into the program will be provided with an Apple Watch for research purposes, which they will be expected to wear "throughout the study, both day and night." Enrolment is open now for individuals in the greater Seattle area who are age 22 or older and have an Apple iPhone 6s or newer.

A previous independent study by Mount Sinai researchers found that an Apple Watch can effectively predict a positive COVID-19 diagnosis up to a week before current PCR-based nasal swab tests, which may be reinforced by the findings of this new study.

Previous independent Apple Watch studies have shown that the smartwatch's heart sensors may be able to detect early signs of diabetes and provide early warning signs of atrial fibrillation.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple Watch SE
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

ruka.snow Avatar
47 months ago

anything for that dollar!
the flu is getting a virus, and i always knew i got the flu or any virus by that sunken feeling in my congestive track.
a watch is not going to prevent, but scare people.
Early detection of a virus could be very helpful in stopping it from spreading. People could be masking up before they are contagious now, or long into the future. All the social distancing and masking efforts has done a lot to stop covid 19 from spreading and also the seasonal flu had its 'worst' year at trying to spread.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mark and 30 others Avatar
47 months ago

anything for that dollar!
the flu is getting a virus, and i always knew i got the flu or any virus by that sunken feeling in my congestive track.
a watch is not going to prevent, but scare people.
Nowhere in the article did it suggest the watch is going to prevent someone getting the flu.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spacetime Anomaly Avatar
47 months ago
I usually know I’m going to get sick when the sun turns blood red and a crow appears on my bedstead.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hastings101 Avatar
47 months ago
I wouldn’t be surprised, I often notice I have an unusually high heart rate a day or two before I start feeling sick
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sdz Avatar
47 months ago
I always noticed getting sick a few days ahead, when my coffee did not taste good, which is a rare occurrence because i love coffee.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
47 months ago

anything for that dollar!
the flu is getting a virus, and i always knew i got the flu or any virus by that sunken feeling in my congestive track.
a watch is not going to prevent, but scare people.
No you’re wrong. It’s not going to scare people. Said the same thing about cardio problems detection and just think how many lives Apple has saved. Why would you not want them to at least try if possible? Is a study to see if can save lives a bad thing sir?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)