Apple is set to release a major update to its Apple Watch. A key feature in it would be a blood pressure monitor, which has a potential to save many lives.
Apple Watches are groundbreaking devices when it comes to preventive medical care. Watches have been known to detect heart attacks. Bloomberg reports:
Starting with the original Apple Watch, bands have slid into the sides of the chassis and attached with a locking mechanism. Keeping that design the same let the bands stay compatible with old and new models, but it has downsides. People involved in the development of new Apple Watches say the system takes up a considerable amount of space that could be better filled with a bigger battery or other components.
To that end, the company has explored a new magnetic band attachment system, though it’s unclear if it will be ready or used in the Watch X revamp. Even bigger changes are coming as well: a microLED display that tops the color and clarity of the current OLED screens, as well as a technology for monitoring blood pressure.
Unlike iPhones, changes on the watches have been incremental. This hasn’t caused an urgency for users to buy new models, but updates have kept pace with major phone developments. MacRumors comments:
Gurman added that the Apple Watch Series 9 is due to be only a “minor refresh,” similar to the incremental updates that the device has received in recent years. The new devices are expected to receive faster processors and new color options, but will otherwise be largely the same as the existing models. Gurman says it is “arguably the most minor upgrade in the product’s history.”
As a result, Apple has recently been considering switching the Apple Watch away from an annual upgrade cycle to offer more substantial updates less frequently, Gurman says. He noted that the iPad started with an annual upgrade cycle, but this has now slowed to a refresh around every 18 months or so.
Apple’s foray into paramedical devices continues to lead the technology world. It has provided a wholistic way to track healthcare through its app, Health. These changes could push more users to switch to Apple Watches, and ultimately increase Apple’s market share of smartphones and devices.
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