Hairy arms stopped Apple Watch monitoring your health

Hairy arms stopped Apple Watch monitoring your health
The Apple Watch could have done so much more

With Apple's first foray into the world of wearable tech, the company wanted to create an all-round useful tool that could track your health whilst letting you know what is happening on your phone.

A new report in The Wall Street Journal has revealed why the Apple Watch won't include include blood pressure or stress level monitors.

Sources "familiar with the matter" said a number of setbacks in marketing the Watch to the average consumer as a health orientated device caused issues for the company's executives.

Technology issues also set the project back with a number of health and fitness features becoming a "black hole" for sucking in resources as Apple tried to reach its high standards.

A black hole

Sensors for skin conductivity were included in early designs but had to be dropped after things such as the tightness of the strap and hairy arms caused unreliable readings.

The sources also revealed Apple investigated blood pressure and blood oxygen measurement features but decided not to go ahead as readings were inconclusive.

Apple's Watch will launch with a few health based features such as accelerometers, touch inputs and an optical heart rate sensor that feeds directly into the iOS Health app.

The Apple Watch is currently set to launch in April and comes with its own specifically designed UI, Apple Pay integration and a variety of different versions.

  • LG has declared war on the Apple Watch with its brand new LG Watch Urbane for a fashion audience.

Via Apple Insider

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.