Apple Watch's hypertension detection feature gets US FDA approval: Report

Apple secures FDA approval for its hypertension detection feature, reportedly set to roll out next week on eligible Apple Watch models, including Series 9, 10, 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3

Apple has reportedly received clearance for its hypertension detection system from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and will begin rolling out that feature to eligible Apple Watches next week. The iPhone maker launched the Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 with hypertension notification feature on September 9; however, the deliveries of the products will begin starting September 19. This feature will be available next week on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3, according to Bloomberg.

How does Apple's hypertension detection system work?

According to Apple, the feature relies on the Apple Watch’s optical heart sensor to track how a person’s blood vessels react to each heartbeat over a span of 30 days. If potential indicators of chronic hypertension, or high blood pressure, are identified, the wearer will receive an alert and be prompted to consult a healthcare professional.

 

Apple added that the hypertension detection capability was built using advanced machine learning models, which were trained on datasets gathered from multiple studies involving over 100,000 participants.

Other features arriving with watchOS 26

• Sleep score: The new sleep score function evaluates factors such as sleep duration, regularity, interruptions, and time spent in various sleep stages to give users a simple overall rating of their sleep quality. This score can be viewed in the Sleep app, on select watch faces, or within the Health app, helping users spot areas for improvement to achieve more restful sleep.
• Workout Buddy: Workout Buddy is an AI-driven tool that provides personalised, spoken encouragement during exercise by analysing heart rate, pace, and fitness history. The refreshed Workout app also enables easier customisation, along with intelligent music and podcast recommendations tailored to workout types and listening patterns.
• New watch faces: The redesigned watch face gallery brings two new styles: Flow, with Liquid Glass numerals that shift as the wrist moves, and Exactograph, which separates hours, minutes, and seconds in a regulator clock-inspired layout. Additionally, more than 20 existing faces now show a moving seconds hand even when the wrist is lowered.
• Longer battery life and faster charging: Apple introduced extended battery life and quicker charging for the new Watches. For context, Apple Watch Series 11 is claimed to last up to 24 hours per charge and supports fast charging that can provide about eight hours of use after just 15 minutes of charging.

watchOS 26: Eligible devices

• Apple Watch Series 6
• Apple Watch Series 7
• Apple Watch Series 8
• Apple Watch Series 9
• Apple Watch Series 10
• Apple Watch Series 11
• Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
• Apple Watch SE (3rd generation)
• Apple Watch Ultra (all models)

The watchOS 26 will be released for the aforementioned models however, the hypertension detection feature will reportedly be limited to Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3 only.