2024 Apple Watch to Feature New Look, Blood Pressure Monitoring and Sleep Apnea Detection

Apple just introduced the Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, and while there are rumors of a larger microLED display for that device, current information suggests Apple won't be ready to add microLED until 2025 or 2026.

The Apple Watch was announced in September 2014, but it did not launch until April 2015, so it is a little unclear whether the "tenth anniversary" falls in 2024 or 2025. We are due for the "Apple Watch Series 10" in 2024, and with Gurman pointing to a design update next year, that could be the "anniversary" model.

The updated Apple Watch could include a thinner design as well as a new magnetic mechanism for connecting bands, but the health features may be more appealing to customers. Gurman says that we can expect the next-generation version of the Apple Watch to detect hypertension and sleep apnea, conditions that affect millions of people.

Hypertension will be detected through blood pressure monitoring done on the wrist, which is a notable feat of engineering. Gurman said in November that the Apple Watch will be able to tell the wearer if their blood pressure is trending upward so they can report the findings to a medical professional, but it will not provide specific systolic and diastolic measurements.

Sleep apnea will be detected through sleep measurements and breathing patterns, letting users know if the condition is present. Detecting sleep apnea often requires a sleep study in an overnight sleep center, so the Apple Watch could relieve some of the friction in getting a diagnosis.