All the ways the new Apple Watch can monitor your health
It’s the arm candy of fitness fanatics around the world. And next year, Apple will launch the tenth version of its popular watch, which it says is the “healthiest” yet.
The Apple Watch, which is worn by about a third of all US iPhone users, is light years ahead of the original fitness tracking technology.
The current model has features that measure blood oxygen and heart rate to help spot early signs of deadly abnormal heart rhythms and lung problems.
It also offers sleep tracking, so wearers can see how much time they spend in good, deep sleep. But the latest model is even more advanced.
The upcoming 2024 version of the Apple Watch is said to help detect numerous signs of heart disease, which kills nearly 700,000 Americans every year
Expected early next year, Apple Watch 10 will detect rising blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as signs of sleep apnea – a common condition in which patients temporarily stop breathing at night.
It’s not clear how the blood pressure monitoring technology will work, but there is speculation that something near-infrared spectroscopy could play a role.
This method calculates changes in blood pressure by looking at blood flow with near-infrared light.
Apple Watch Series 9 launched in September 2023 with advanced health features, but Series 10 promises to offer even more advanced technology, including blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring
It can’t give you exact numbers, but it can detect large increases or decreases that could indicate a cardiovascular problem.
Nearly half of Americans age 20 and older have high blood pressure, according to a 2023 report from the American Heart Association. That’s about 122 million people.
However, studies estimate that around one in five people with the condition – which is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack – do not know they have the condition.
As for sleep apnea, the watch signals breathing and other telltale signs such as snoring, and recommends whether medical attention should be sought.
It’s also unclear how exactly the wearable can handle unhealthy blood sugar spikes, which could indicate prediabetes.
The tech giant is also said to be working on even more impressive health features for post-2024 models, including turning AirPods into over-the-counter hearing aids, as well as a deafness test. according to Bloomberg.
A price for the Apple Watch series 10 has not yet been confirmed, while previous models have priced at $399.