Update: Rendered images of the purported new Apple Watch 8 suggest no major design changes from Apple's upcoming smartwatch.

According to new rumors, the Apple Watch 8 will include a sensor that can monitor and measure a user's blood sugar levels. This breakthrough technology would be a first for a smartwatch.

DigiTimes reports that Apple is working with suppliers to create a short-wavelength infrared sensor (different from those used in various other notable health devices) that will be attached to the back of the Apple Watch and monitor the amount of sugar in the user's blood They have begun.

Monitoring blood glucose levels is a very important and typically invasive procedure for people with conditions such as diabetes. Blood glucose measurement requires someone to poke around their body to collect a drop of blood, which is then placed on a disposable test strip connected to a blood glucose meter.

It makes sense that there are other reports that Apple is struggling to perfect this breakthrough feature. Replicating the same level of testing accuracy with non-invasive technology is clearly problematic, which could explain why the company has reportedly delayed this feature.

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4, perhaps the Apple Watch's most direct competitor, was also scheduled to ship with a blood glucose monitoring feature using a skin penetration technique called Raman spectroscopy. However, the release ended without further mention of this feature.

That future Apple Watches will be able to monitor blood glucose levels is not entirely surprising given Apple's tendency to consistently add new health features to its ecosystem. Among many other things, the company's current wrist gear is already capable of monitoring heart rate, measuring blood oxygen levels, and even conducting EKGs.

Apple unveiled the Apple Watch 7 last month, showing off a more rounded design, new colors, and faster charging capabilities, but significant delays have already dashed the hopes of many early adopters.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch 8 and its possible blood glucose sensor are not expected to debut until 2022, so we will have to wait a bit longer to see if this useful feature will actually materialize.