Apple Watch Ultra 4: Redesign and Blood Pressure Monitoring Rumored
▼ Summary
– The Apple Watch Ultra 4 may feature a complete redesign and a new high blood pressure notification that uses the optical heart-rate sensor to detect abnormal patterns, pending FDA review.
– The new blood pressure feature is distinct from a previous watchOS 26 hypertension feature, likely representing a more refined or clinically validated implementation of existing sensor hardware.
– Apple’s next health monitoring goal after blood pressure is noninvasive blood-glucose monitoring, which has been in development for years and requires government approval.
– The redesign reportedly includes exterior changes such as eight sensors arranged in a ring pattern on the back, described as a “full redesign” with upgraded sensing functions.
– The redesign could boost Apple Watch shipments by 20% to 30% compared to 2025, with sensor component supplier TASC expecting large-volume orders as early as July 2026.
Rumors are swirling that the Apple Watch Ultra 4 will arrive with a complete redesign and long-awaited blood pressure monitoring, according to a new report from DigiTimes. The upcoming device is expected to introduce a high blood pressure notification feature that leverages the existing optical heart-rate sensor on the watch’s back. By analyzing how blood vessels respond to each heartbeat, the system will send alerts when it detects an abnormal pattern. This feature is currently under review by the FDA.
It remains unclear how this capability differs from the Hypertension Notifications that Apple rolled out with watchOS 26 last year. That earlier feature also used the optical heart sensor, but tracked blood vessel responses over 30-day periods. DigiTimes notes that previous Apple Watch models already possessed some blood pressure sensing abilities, suggesting the new implementation is a more refined or clinically validated version of the same hardware.
Looking further ahead, Apple’s next major health milestone is expected to be noninvasive blood-glucose monitoring, a feature the company has pursued for years, pending regulatory approval.
Today’s report aligns with a DigiTimes story from last year, which predicted at least one new Apple Watch model would undergo a “significant redesign.” Supply chain sources then hinted at exterior changes, including eight sensors arranged in a ring pattern on the back. The latest update is more emphatic, describing a “full redesign” paired with a “significant upgrade to sensing functions.”
Market observers cited by the report believe the overhaul could drive Apple Watch shipments up by 20% to 30% compared to 2025. The sensor upgrades are expected to be a major boon for Taiwan-Asia Semiconductor (TASC), Apple’s exclusive supplier of sensor components, with large-volume orders anticipated as early as July.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is slated for a fall 2026 launch alongside the Apple Watch Series 12, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable “iPhone Ultra.”
(Source: MacRumors)
