Apple Watch 6 leak reveals key feature is getting axed

Apple Watch 6 concept
(Image credit: Concepts iPhone)

The Apple Watch 6, expected to launch this fall, might not come with a rumored feature — blood pressure tracking.

While there's been no confirmation about blood pressure detection capabilities for Apple Watch, a patent revealed the company is working on its own version of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3's standout tool.  

A tipster says we shouldn't hold our breath, though. According to Twitter user Komiya, blood pressure tracking isn't ready for the Apple Watch 6. 

Komiya claims that Apple Watch blood pressure detection is in the works, but is not accurate at this time. 

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We'd take this tipster's leak with a grain of salt, however, it sounds like a rationale situation. Blood pressure monitoring is a fickle skill to pack inside a smartwatch. As we've seen with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, an accurate blood pressure monitor requires frequent calibration.

Then there's the necessity of FDA-approval. Samsung's blood pressure monitoring is only cleared in South Korea. We bet Apple will wait until the FDA clears its attempt at a blood pressure tracker to actually announce it for an Apple Watch.

Either way, we'll know the facts soon. The Apple Watch 6 is expected to debut as soon as next month with some incremental upgrades. It will also ship with watchOS 7, Apple's newest smartwatch software with sleep tracking, hand-washing detection, new mobility features and more.

Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She covers smartwatches, TVs and audio devices, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.