The Apple Watch is not calibrated with a cuff. It takes 30 days of cardiac data from the existing optical PPG sensors, analyzes it, and gives you a probability that you might have hypertension. It’s also significant that this is the first year that the Apple Watch has had a true 24 hours of battery life, so you can wear it while you’re sleeping without taking it off to charge. I’ve turned this on with my Series 11 and have not yet gotten a notification (and hope I never will), but given that general awareness, screening, and detection of hypertension is a huge barrier to diagnosis, the Apple Watch is a significant step forward.
Best Value BPM
The iHealth Ease is one of the cheapest blood pressure monitors that you’ll find on the market. As former contributor Richard Baguley says, it achieves this feat with a remarkable degree of accuracy (the device is ESH-10 approved, a widely recognized standard for accuracy in automated blood pressure monitors).
The Ease basically turns your phone into a BPM. It consists of a cuff, an air tube, and a base for your phone. The base communicates via Bluetooth to your Apple or Android device, takes the reading, and sends it to the iHealth MyVitals app, which is free and accessible to others, like your family or doctor. Baguley notes that the Ease is true to its name and was very easy to use, although it’s a bit slower than the other devices we’ve tried. There’s also a useful emergency stop button on the base for anyone who finds the pinching sensation of a blood pressure cuff too uncomfortable, though with every monitor here, if it becomes uncomfortable, you can always just take it off.
Alternative: Baguley also tested the Omron Evolv ($120), which is another stand-alone BPM that syncs with the Omron Connect app. You slip the whole device on your arm to measure. Baguley notes that, unlike other devices we’ve tested, it’s a little finicky to use, and the app has to be running to receive data from the device; others, like the Withings, can store data onboard until the app can sync.
Not Approved by the FDA
When I reviewed the Whoop MG (8/10, WIRED Recommends) in June last year, I noted that it was the first wearable fitness tracker that I’d seen to offer blood pressure measurements. At the time, the feature was still in beta; later, Whoop would opt not to pursue FDA clearance. In July, the FDA sent a warning letter to the company for marketing the feature without pursuing clearance. Whoop continues to stand by its blood pressure feature. Whoop does have similar disclaimers as Apple, but it’s notable that both Apple and Aktiia opted to pursue FDA clearance.
