Apple’s new hypertension alerts feature on the Apple Watch has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The update will roll out with watchOS 26 and will be available on Apple Watch Series 9 and newer, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later models.
The feature uses the device’s optical heart sensor to track blood vessel responses with each heartbeat over 30 days. If it detects consistent signs of high blood pressure, it will notify the user.
Apple, however, emphasizes that the feature is not a diagnostic tool. Users who receive alerts are advised to confirm results by checking their blood pressure with a standard cuff over seven days and sharing the findings with a healthcare provider.
The rollout will cover more than 150 countries, potentially alerting over one million people with undiagnosed hypertension.
For Nigeria, where high blood pressure remains one of the leading causes of stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure, this feature could provide life-saving early warnings.
However, access may be limited due to the high cost of Apple’s latest devices.
