Huawei’s blood pressure tracking watch will reportedly land in the weeks ahead. The timepiece has already snagged an EU trademark patent. This reveals it will be called Watch D and that it will have a global launch.
There are very few timepieces right now that can monitor for blood pressure. The Samsung line is one exception although it does require calibration and the readings are only on-demand. But it looks like the tide is slowly shifting.
We reviewed recently Aktiia, a blood pressure monitoring bracelet. It automatically captures readings multiple times per day via an optical sensor. Other companies are looking to get in on the game as well.
Valencell has announced at CES 2021 that its optical sensors have been upgraded to capture blood pressure readings from the wrist with cuff-like accuracy. The tech is expected to debut in the coming months.
There’s also the next generation tech that a number of companies such as Apple, Zepp Health, Withings and Samsung are exploring with Rockley Photonics. The difference between these sensors and the ones typically used today is that higher wavelengths are utilized in addition to those on the visible spectrum. The miniature Spectrometer-on-chip is apparently capable of capturing info on blood oxygen, hydration, heart rate, heart rate variability, core body temperature, breath rate, blood pressure, hydration, glucose and more. Exciting times are clearly ahead in the huawei wearable tech space.
Huawei blood pressure watch
We are not sure which tech Huawei will employ, but their first watch with blood pressure monitoring capability is set to land soon. This was originally revealed via a Weibo post a by Hua Hegang back in June. He is the President of Huawei’s Consumer Business Mobile Phone Product Line.
The device has passed initial medical tests and has already been in public testing. To this end Huawei recruited users to test the blood pressure watch. This was announced in September, again through a Weibo post.
Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets
The fact that public testing has been ongoing indicates Huawei already has a working product. So a launch this year seems plausible. The company is also looking to conduct research on hypertension management with recognized institutions to explore how its tech can be used to monitor blood pressure – from screening to early intervention.
EU trademark patent
A further indication of a soonish (international) launch is a new trademark patent that was filed by Huawei with the European Union Intellectual Property Organization (EUIPO) on September 10, 2021 (via Letsgodigital). It refers to a smartwatch with the name “Watch D” which is, most likely, the blood pressure tracking device. The patent lists it in the category containing “smartwatches; wristwatches; apparatus for use in medical analysis; heart rate monitoring; body-fat monitors; blood pressure monitors’.
Other features
We are not sure what other features Watch D will have. But Huawei has said it is planning to slap on continuous body temperature detection technology to its wearables. So we may, very well, see both blood pressure and a temperature monitoring feature on the upcoming timepiece. Another possibility is ECG.
Renders of the blood pressure watch have appeared on Weibo. The device has a large rectangular display and a Home and Health key. In terms of looks, the timepiece very much resembles Huawei Watch Fit. There’s no way to tell at this stage whether this is, indeed, the real thing.
Release date
According to a new entry on Weibo, Huawei’s blood tracking timepiece will be officially launched in November. At least this is what the Leaker that goes by the name Changan Digital King reports reports. The period to keep an eye on is between November 15 and 20. According to reports, this is when Huawei will organise a product launch event in China. Among other items, the company will unveil products already presented in Europe including the Watch GT 3 and the FreeBuds Lipstick, TWS earphones.
