Hypertension and sleep apnea tracking for the 2024 Apple Watch
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will roll out the first version of its "groundbreaking blood pressure sensor" technology, which will also include hypertension detection, for new Watches next year. The 2024 Apple Watch models will offer a diary to tell the user if their blood pressure is trending upward and to note what happens when hypertension occurs. To avoid potentially making a false diagnosis, this feature will direct the user to talk to their doctor or to a traditional method that can provide exact systolic and diastolic measurements.
According to Gurman, a future version of the system under development could provide precise numbers and even diagnose concerning conditions. However, it is stated that these developments are "still a long way off". An Apple Watch-based sleep apnea detection feature will also arrive in 2024 . According to the report, the feature will use sleep and breathing patterns to predict whether a person has this condition and then direct users to see a doctor.
Apple turns its wearable devices into health devices
In previous reports, it was reported that Apple was also working on non-invasive blood sugar monitoring . Apple will use a new silicon photonic chip to determine the concentration of glucose in the body. Since the glucose monitoring system is designed similar to a blood pressure system, it will monitor how a person's blood sugar is and warn users about pre-diabetes, rather than providing an actual blood sugar value. But Apple's blood sugar monitoring studies are unlikely to appear in a product for "at least several years," according to Gurman's latest report, citing people with knowledge of the studies.
Apart from Apple Watch, Apple is also said to be on track to bring hearing detection feature to AirPods in 2024 . Equipped with the new feature, AirPods will be able to function as an over-the-counter hearing aid and perform hearing tests usually performed in audiologists' offices.
In addition, Apple is said to continue to research ways to turn the upcoming Apple Vision Pro headset into a health device. It is stated that a virtual reality system is being worked on to strengthen positive thinking and improve mental health, as well as anti-anxiety and advanced meditation features.