Apple's highly anticipated blood-pressure monitoring feature won't be available on its smartwatch until at least 2024 after some snags in developing the technology, according to a new report.
The report from Bloomberg cites people who have knowledge of the technology. They shared with the news organization that it is probably two years away from hitting the market, possibly slipping to 2025.
Adding the blood pressure monitor has been asked for by consumers for some time now, and Apple has been working on it for at least four years. However, the monitor's accuracy has been a challenge during the testing phase, leading to its delay, the report said.
Trials are being run on Apple employees in order to perfect the blood-pressure technology, which is also being developed by the tech company's competitors.
Samsung Electronics Co. and Fitbit's parent company, Alphabet Inc., have released or are developing their own blood pressure features on their smartwatches. However, Fitbit's is currently in a public study, and Samsung's has to be calibrated monthly with a traditional monitor.
As for Apple, the plan is for the user wearing the watch to be warned when they may be experiencing hypertension instead of just regularly measuring systolic and diastolic readings.
If hypertension is experienced, the wearer will be encouraged to consult a doctor or use a standard blood pressure checker.
While the path to launching the blood pressure technology is far off, Apple is planning several updates to its sleep, women's health, fitness, and medication management features.
The new features will include a way for users to scan their medicine and set reminders to take their pills, a new low power mode that will run some apps instead of only telling the time, and an update to fitness metrics with the addition of new workouts.
Apple is also planning on launching a body-temperature sensor on its watch as early as this year which would be designed to help with fertility planning, Bloomberg reported last year.
Apple is also working on a noninvasive way for diabetics to monitor their blood sugar levels, however, it is still several years away from being released, the report said.
Apple's wearable watch has become a core piece of the tech companies lineup, making up $28.4 billion in sales, more than the Mac or iPad generates.
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