Huawei has officially announced the Watch D, a new smartwatch made by it that will hit stores this week for no less than $ 470, more than most models on the market including the Apple Watch. But the Watch D has an extraordinary and meanwhile unique advantage in the market: it is recognized by the Chinese Ministry of Health as “medical equipment”, and its reliability as such has been tested and approved by 301 hospitals in China.
This means that while most competitors warn in advance that various medical tests, such as an ECG, are “preliminary information” that is only a reason to consult a doctor, Wawi claims that the Watch D sensors are capable of providing accurate and reliable tests, similar to those of existing measuring equipment. At the HMOs.
Apart from measuring heart rate and temperature, the watch also comes with a blood pressure monitor, which uses airbags and tiny pumps for inflating and measuring. The only caveat is that for accurate blood pressure measurement, the user is required to sit at rest – this is not a “background measurement” that the watch is able to perform automatically throughout the day.
The Watch D has a 1.64-inch rectangular AMOLED display and a resolution of 456X280 pixels. It comes in an aluminum case in black or titanium, and with a rubber strap in two different sizes. The watch also features an NFC connection for wireless purchases, and meets the IP68 standard for dust and moisture resistance. Wawi has not released the exact capacity of the battery, but claims it will last for up to a typical seven days of use.
The watch is expected to hit shelves in China this week, along with an app that will allow buyers to contact doctors in China immediately and help them understand the test results. The watch’s global marketing plans, if any, have not yet been announced.