I've always had my blood pressure taken on my upper arm, never my wrist, but the Huawei D2 smartwatch with built-in blood pressure monitor changed all of that. It's not every day that I try out a smartwatch that wins me over within minutes of putting it on, but the D2 convinced me of its value almost immediately.Â
Phones do a lot of the same things that smartwatches do, but investing in a piece of wearable tech feels infinitely more personal. When it comes to the feel, the look, the convenience and the features of a wearable device, many of us have wildly different preferences and requirements. What works for one person won't for another, which is why companies such as Samsung and Huawei have such diverse ecosystems of wearable products.
All that's to say, the Huawei D2 smartwatch won't be for everyone -- it's not for me, as much as I was wowed by it -- but if you're in the right demographic you might find this wearable is the one piece of tech you need most of all to monitor your health. Many of the smartwatches, and increasingly smart rings, on the market come with in-built sensors that can measure various health indicators. But none -- even the Apple Watch, which offers some of the most cutting-edge health features on the market -- can boast a physical blood pressure-monitoring airbag. It's a true differentiator in a competitive market.
My blood pressure has always been distinctly average, but for some people, blood pressure is a constant ongoing medical concern. If you're among them, and are required to take regular blood pressure readings for medical reasons, the D2 might seem like a must-have product. The D2 isn't sold in the US so doesn't have or need approval from the Food and Drug Administration, but here in the UK it comes with a CE 0197 rating, certifying its medical-grade quality.
How the D2 smartwatch blood pressure cuff works
I got to try out the Huawei D2 in person and was impressed by what a unique piece of kit it seems to be.
If you've ever had your blood pressure taken by a doctor, you'll be familiar with the inflatable cuff they strap around your arm that gradually gets more constrictive as it fills with air. The D2 features a scaled-down version of this on the inside of its wrist strap.
The inflated airbag.
To take your blood pressure, you press start on the watch and then hold your hand up across your body near your heart (pledge of allegiance style) and wait for the monitor to start inflating. For some reason I was expecting it to be less tight than an arm cuff, but the airbag kept going for over 20 seconds until my wrist was held in an uncomfortably tight vice-like grip.
The watch can also be programmed to take readings throughout the day, and even through the night while you sleep. You don't need to hold it up by your heart for the nighttime readings, although I can't vouch for how the sensation might interrupt your dreams. Huawei says that in testing people have slept through and not been disturbed by the inflating wrist cuff, but your mileage with regards to this may vary.
As well as providing regular ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to those already suffering in this area, the D2 can be used to identify hypertension, or whether you're at risk of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.
It helps that the D2 doesn't look like a medical device. In fact, at first glance, you might even mistake it for an Apple Watch. Even with the airbag, it's light and slim enough that I would consider wearing it throughout the day, making it rare among smartwatches. It also comes with all the other features you'd expect from a smartwatch and can monitor a range of health indicators from stress to skin temperature to heart rate.
The D2 isn't available in the US, but in the UK, Huawei sells it for £349 (around $445), making it competitive with other watches.