FDA approves hypertension alerts for both new and existing Apple Watch models.

The blood pressure monitor will be available with watchOS 26 next week.

Beginning next week, Apple will introduce its new hypertension notification feature for the Watch Series 9 and later models, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and subsequent versions, coinciding with the release of watchOS 26. This information comes from an email statement by Apple spokesperson Zaina Khachadourian, who confirmed that the feature, which monitors blood pressure, has received FDA approval.

The newly announced hypertension notifications from Apple — revealed on Tuesday alongside the launch of the Apple Watch SE3, Series 11, and Ultra 3 — utilize data from the existing optical heart sensor in the watches to "assess how a user’s blood vessels react to the heart's beats." An algorithm will analyze this data over a 30-day timeframe and alert users if it identifies indications of elevated blood pressure.

This feature will be available in over 150 countries and regions with the launch of watchOS 26 on September 15th.