Following clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday, Apple is set to launch a hypertension detection feature on its smartwatch next week, as reported by Bloomberg News.
Apple and the FDA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The company had previously unveiled a blood pressure monitor in its latest Apple Watch at a September 9 event, where it also introduced a revamped iPhone lineup, including a slimmer iPhone Air.
Apple stated that the feature, which was pending regulatory approval, will not be able to detect every instance of high blood pressure but could alert around a million people.
Citing Apple, the report said the tool will be available in 150 countries. It will use data from the watch’s optical heart sensor to track how a user’s blood vessels respond to heartbeats over a 30-day period.
Bloomberg News added that the feature will be compatible with the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, and the more expensive Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 smartwatches.
