As Apple continues its work expanding the health features of its wearable, one of the anticipated upcoming capabilities is blood pressure monitoring. However, a new report from Bloomberg says not to expect it with Apple Watch Series 8 this fall or even the following year as Apple has run into trouble with accuracy during development.
Last year we saw a report from Nikkei that suggested Apple’s blood pressure feature could arrive with Apple Watch Series 7. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman correctly predicted that wouldn’t be the case.
But we did get some details from the WSJ about the blood pressure feature in the works. Overall Apple Watch wouldn’t show actual systolic/diastolic readings but would show how a user’s blood pressure is trending.
Today, Bloomberg’s Gurman is out with a new report that Apple has run into issues during the development of the feature, and blood pressure monitoring won’t arrive on Apple Watch until “2024 at the earliest.”
According to sources close to the matter, accuracy has been the main challenge during testing to get a new Apple Watch sensor to read blood pressure. The report also corroborates the WSJ with the detail that Apple isn’t looking to give specific blood pressure readings. Instead, it would use the capability to alert users if they have hypertension and recommend talking with their doctor.
Apple Health already works with a number of smart blood pressure monitors like the Withings BPM that take specific systolic/diastolic readings.
While non-invasive blood sugar monitoring has also been something Apple’s been working on, Bloomberg also says that capability for Apple Watch is still “several years away” with the company not giving it a target release date.
However, expected later this year will still be new health features around sleep, fitness, medication management, and women’s health.
Also from today’s report are new details about a low power mode and new watch faces for Apple Watch in watchOS 9:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments