Huawei Watch D, which sports a blood pressure sensor, is heading to new markets this year

The Huawei Watch D is the beleaguered Chinese manufacturer's most advanced timepiece ever. And the device has apparently received the regulatory greenlights necessary for the device to be sold in Europe. The smartwatch was introduced in China last year and among the many health features the Watch D offers is the ability to take accurate blood pressure readings, something that even the Apple Watch cannot do.

The blood pressure capabilities of the watch needed to be examined by regulators in Europe before the Huawei Watch D could be sold on the continent and the appearance of the smartwatch at IFA 2022, along with a website by Huawei that has gone live, would indicate that the regulatory agencies in the region have signed off on the feature. The watch will cost €449 (equivalent to $447 at current exchange rates) and will be released in Europe sometime during the fall.

What Huawei calls an "innovative mini pump" inflates a blood pressure cuff placed in the band of the watch in order to give you a blood pressure reading that should be accurate within ±3 mmHg from your actual blood pressure. Other health monitoring tools found on the Huawei Watch D include an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check for abnormal heart rhythms, a skin temperature sensor, a heart rate monitor that measures the number of beats per minute, and an SP02 sensor to make sure that your blood oxygen level is within range.

It should be pointed out that some consumers with certain medical conditions will not be able to receive accurate blood pressure readings. Huawei notes that "The blood pressure measurement results may present a large margin of error if your posture is unstable (due to diseases such as Parkinson or cerebrovascular disease sequelae), or you suffer from arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation, severe anemia, peripheral vascular disease, or arthritis. Individuals with pacemakers or other implantable devices are advised not to use the device's ECG feature."

Huawei isn't the first company to produce a smartwatch with a hidden cuff in the band that inflates to test the wearer's blood pressure. Nearly a year ago we told you about the YHE BP Doctor Pro which also featured an inflatable cuff in the timepiece's band. The company promoted the device as the first smartwatch able to deliver an accurate blood pressure reading from the user's wrist.

The Huawei Watch D will also send you notifications on your watch reminding you when to take your blood pressure. The watch will keep you constantly aware about the status of important health related functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and your heart rhythms.

The Huawei Watch D comes in your favorite color, assuming that your favorite color is Graphite Black. It features a 1.64-inch AMOLED display with a 280 x 456 resolution. It charges wirelessly and requires the user to have a phone running Android 6 and up, iOS 12 and up, or HarmonyOS 2 and up. It features an IP68 rating making it impervious to dust and the watch can be submerged to a depth of 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet) of fresh water for as long as 30 minutes.

Typical battery life is seven days, according to the manufacturer. But that is based on the following: "factory default settings, always-on heart rate (intelligent mode), scientific sleep at night, blood pressure measurement 6 times a day, ECG measurement 5 times a day, average weekly exercise 90 minutes, and message notification enabled (50 messages, 6 calls, 3 alarms per day) . The screen turns on 200 times a day." And of course, Huawei notes that your real life experience with the battery will depend on your "usage habits."

Those in the U.S. interested in purchasing this watch might have to wait for U.S. regulators to sign off on the blood pressure feature, something that we wouldn't hold our breath waiting for. Other Huawei watches are offered for sale in the U.S. via Amazon.