Apple Watch Series 12 to Launch in India Without Hypertension Alerts

Apple has delayed the rollout of its hypertension notification feature for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 in India, citing pending regulatory clearances. The company said on Wednesday that the feature is expected to become available in the country next year.

Apple has opened pre-orders for the new smartwatch across several markets, including India. The Apple Watch Series 12 will be available in stores from September 18, with prices starting at ₹56,900.

“Hypertension notifications will not be initially available in India on Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4, as additional regulatory clearances for the feature for these models is in process. Availability is expected next year,” Apple said in a statement.

The hypertension notification system is designed to help users identify potential signs of high blood pressure through data collected by the smartwatch. However, Indian users will have to wait for the feature until the required approvals are secured.

The Watch Series 12 introduces higher-frequency heart-rate and heart-rate variability (HRV) measurements, which Apple says enable an enhanced set of health and fitness features. These include a new readiness score, intended to provide users with insights into their preparedness for daily activities and workouts.

The smartwatch also offers several existing health and safety features, including workout and sleep tracking, heart-health notifications, the ECG app, sleep-apnea notifications, fall detection and Emergency SOS.

Apple claims the Watch Series 12 can deliver up to 24 hours of everyday battery life. During outdoor workouts, it can provide up to 10 hours of battery life, which the company says is 25 per cent more than the previous model.

Despite the delayed hypertension feature, Apple is positioning the new smartwatch as a major health, fitness and safety-focused wearable for consumers in India.