Apple is stepping up work on a blood pressure monitoring feature for the Apple Watch, which could be ready as soon as 2025, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Blood pressure monitoring is a health feature the Cupertino firms has been developing over the last several years and Apple has been shooting for a 2024 debut for the feature.
While the feature would not provide exact blood pressure measurements, showing exact systolic and diastolic measurements, it would instead track a user’s blood pressure and if it is trending upwards, the user would receive an alert. The Apple Watch user could then pass on the information to their doctor, allowing for professional testing.
High blood pressure can often go undetected and undiagnosed, which can lead to heart damage, strokes, and even death. Early detection is vital, which is where the Apple Watch would come in. The Apple Watch already can detect and warn of atrial fibrillation or an irregular heart beat, plus it can be used to take one-lead ECG readings. While the Apple Watch has a blood oxygen monitoring feature, it is currently disabled in models being sold in the United States, while Apple fights a patent battle.
Gurman says Apple will introduce the blood pressure monitoring feature in the Apple Watch Ultra 3, although it will likely also debut in the standard Apple Watch models as well.