Apple Watch to DELAY Blood Pressure monitoring! Know the reason behind this

Apple Watch Blood Pressure monitoring feature has been delayed to 2024 or beyond. Know the reasons behind this.

Apple Watch Blood Pressure monitoring could be delayed to 2024 model. (Image: Apple Watch Series 7) (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

The Apple Watch is still the gold standard for smartwatches in general, packing almost all the features and practicality one can expect from a smartwatch. However, no matter how much Apple may want to advertise it as the ultimate fitness tracking device, it certainly lacks a few thigs or two. One of them is the blood pressure monitoring feature, which Samsung gave its Galaxy Watch 4 wearable last year. The Apple Watch Series 7 still does not have it and going by the leaks, it may not happen for at least 2-3 years more.

Based on a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, it is now said that the Blood Pressure monitoring feature on the Apple Watch may be delayed to 2024 or beyond. The reason behind this is aid to be the company hitting some snags in development of the technology; it won't be ready for use until 2024 at the earliest.

Apple Watch Blood Pressure feature delayed

“The iPhone maker is running trials of its blood-pressure technology on employees. Its planned approach won't tell users their specific systolic and diastolic readings -- the numbers used to assess blood pressure -- but would warn those wearing the watch that they may have hypertension, which is high-blood pressure, and should consult a doctor or use a standard blood pressure checker,” says the Bloomberg report.

Hence, the Blood Pressure monitoring feature on the Apple Watch will be largely different, similar to how it manages the Sleep Monitoring feature. On the Apple Watch, the Sleep monitoring feature activates only when the Watch is put to the Sleep Mode. Even then, the Apple Watch won't show you the data for light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep.

While Blood Pressure monitoring is not making it to the Apple Watch, a new body temperature sensor is rumoured for this year's model. It is said that the feature could help with fertility planning. Future versions of the Watch models could also use this sensor to see whether the user has higher than normal body temperature.

On the other hand, rumours also suggest that the watchOS 9 update will add a couple of new features such as atrial fibrillation burden detection. watchOS 9 is also expected to come with a new “low-power” mode that can allow sum apps and features to run, just like the iPhone's low power mode. Currently, the Power Reserve mode only shows time on the Apple Watch. New watch faces are also expected to make it to the current Watch models.