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ZDNET key takeaways
- Apple’s Hypertension Detection received FDA clearance on Thursday.
- The feature doesn’t monitor blood pressure.
- It tells users whether hypertension is or isn’t present.
Apple’s Possible Hypertension Detection feature, unveiled earlier this week, received FDA clearance on Thursday. This is the third FDA-cleared health feature the tech giant has received.
FDA clearance
The feature tracks a user’s blood pressure over a 30-day period and uses the watch’s PPG signal to measure blood volume. After 30 days, it provides a rating that indicates whether a person’s blood pressure is above or below the hypertension threshold.
Also: Your next Apple Watch could have a feature that transforms healthcare
If it is, Apple advises users to consult a doctor for review of the collected data. A doctor might suggest that a user with high blood pressure take daily readings with a traditional cuff, which Apple Watch users can log through the Hypertension feature as well.
The Hypertension feature offers a blood pressure log for tracking diastolic readings. The log can be exported into a PDF to send to a doctor. It also includes reminders to log blood pressure, and classifications based on guidelines from the American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology.
In developing the feature, Apple used data from more than 100,000 study participants to understand hypertension’s presence.
Apple Watches supported
Apple Watch owners can begin using the feature in more than 150 countries starting next week. The feature is not only available on Apple’s latest lineup of smartwatches, the Series 11 and Ultra 3 it announced Tuesday. Apple Watch Series 9 or later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, can access the feature through Apple’s latest software, WatchOS 26.
The feature skips the affordable SE 2 and SE 3 smartwatches.
Also: Older Apple Watches are getting a major health upgrade
Possible Hypertension Detection is one of three features in Apple’s health arsenal that have received FDA clearance, with the other two including the Hearing Loss Detection feature on the AirPods, and Sleep Apnea Detection on the Apple Watch. Apple has the most FDA-cleared health features out of its competitors, chiefly Samsung and Google.
As the health tracking landscape expands and more companies enter the race, Apple is differentiating its health offerings through this medical approval process. It’s one way the tech giant is getting a leg up in the health technology arena, and it highlights how the health wearables tech brands like Apple are developing are moving less toward wellness products and more toward medical devices. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that Apple’s greatest contribution will be through its health features.