Last fall, Apple released the Apple Watch Series 10, which looked to fix the issues found on the Series 9.
However, a new prototype that leaked shared a new health sensor for the wearable. This health sensor was not made available on the final release version that Apple made available.
Should Apple have released this health sensor, it could have changed how the world saw the Apple Watch's latest model.
Apple Watch Series 10 Prototype Leak: New Health Sensor
A leaker and collector called StelleFudge recently shared a post on X featuring an Apple Watch Series 10 prototype that was revealed to have been used for internal testing of new features for the device. The leaker specifically focused the shared images on the underside of the Series 10 prototype, which shows off a unique set of sensors meant for the device's health features.
The leaker only said that these new technologies are "very unique health sensor arrangements," and did not provide much detail about their purpose or what are they supposed to power.
That being said, it was revealed that many of the health sensors in this Series 10 Prototype show that Apple shrunk down several of these and added an extra light ring around the perimeter of the device.
Prototype Apple Watch Series 10 with… A very unique health sensor arrangement.
— Stella - Fudge (@StellaFudge) March 31, 2025
The health sensors got shrunk down a lot and there was an extra light ring around the perimeter. The watch is also running an unreleased build of watchOS11, somewhere between 11.1b5 and 11.1rc. pic.twitter.com/8n06JkQT39
Moreover, the Apple Watch Series 10 prototype also runs on an unreleased build of watchOS 11, said the leaker.
Apple Never Released This New Sensor For Series 10
According to 9to5Mac, Apple never released a version of the Apple Watch Series 10 or the refreshed Ultra 2 with the leaked prototype's sensors. Moreover, the company also did not bring the said features that came along with it.
Previous rumors have claimed that Apple worked on blood pressure and blood glucose sensors for the device that it postponed, allocating it for future releases.
The Apple Watch Fiasco on Health Sensors
Less than two years ago, Apple faced a court order to temporarily pull the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from the market as it faced an injunction from Masimo. Masimo had filed a lawsuit alleging that Apple infringed on the blood oxygen sensors found on the device.
Despite Apple disabling the feature, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 wearables went on and off the market for quite some time and significantly disrupted its availability.
A lot has happened since the Apple Watch ban in the United States, and this led to massive losses for Apple as its Series 9 and Ultra 2 were relatively new in the market when it had to deal with the court order. Later on, Apple unveiled a new Apple Watch that featured reworked Series 10 and Ultra 2 devices without the said sensors to avoid facing another injunction.
The rest is history for Apple as the Apple Watch devices returned to the industry for users to buy, but the company entirely skipped on offering the blood oxygen sensor technology.
