Apple Introduces New Health Features in Watch Series 11 and AirPods Pro 3

The company introduced AirPods Pro 3 with heart rate sensing and Apple Watch Series 11 with hypertension detection and a sleep score feature.

Apple announced new health features for its wearable devices during its event on September 9. 

The company introduced AirPods Pro 3 with heart rate sensing and Apple Watch Series 11 with hypertension detection and a sleep score feature.

The AirPods Pro 3 can measure heart rate, track more than 50 workout types, and calculate calories burned. Apple said the earbuds include heart sensing during workouts with a custom-built heart rate system. Battery life extends up to 10 hours on a single charge. The device, priced at $249, is available for preorder and will be released on September 19.

Watch Series 11 and Expanded Lineup

Apple also launched Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The Watch Series 11 introduces advanced health functions, including hypertension notifications.

"Hypertension notifications on Apple Watch use data from the optical heart sensor to analyze how a user's blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart," the company said.

According to Apple, its algorithm reviews blood pressure data over 30-day periods and notifies users if it identifies signs of chronic high blood pressure. The company noted that while the watch will not detect all cases of hypertension, it expects to notify over one million people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year.

The company added that the technology is based on medical studies with 100,000 participants and that regulatory clearance is expected "soon."

Apple also highlighted sleep tracking features in the Watch Series 11, including a sleep score that analyzes sleep duration and provides insights into sleep quality.

The entry-level Apple Watch SE 3 will also include health features such as sleep score, sleep apnea notifications, wrist temperature sensing, and retrospective ovulation estimates. The new Watch lineup will be available in 150 countries, including the U.S. and the EU, from September 19.

Alongside its wearable devices, Apple unveiled iPhone 17 models, including the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone Air. These devices focus on performance upgrades but do not feature new health-related functions.

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