Apple Watch Ultra 4 May Bring New Design, Blood Pressure Tracking

A new DigiTimes report indicates that the upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 4 will feature a complete redesign alongside much more advanced health tracking capabilities, including refined blood pressure monitoring (via MacRumors).

While the original Ultra design has remained largely static through its first three generations, the fourth version is expected to change direction completely. This ties back to earlier supply chain whispers indicating that Apple is working on a rear hardware layout featuring eight individual sensors arranged in a distinct ring pattern on the back of the device.

Market observers believe this full visual and functional redesign could boost Apple Watch shipments by 20% to 30% compared to figures from 2025. Large-volume component orders are expected to start hitting the supply chain as early as July, according to the report.

Beyond the aesthetics, the primary selling point for the Apple Watch Ultra 4 looks to be its upgraded health monitoring engine. The device will reportedly introduce a high blood pressure notification feature that utilizes the optical heart-rate sensor on the back of the watch. The feature is currently undergoing evaluation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It remains to be seen exactly how Apple will differentiate this system from the Hypertension Notifications feature introduced in watchOS 26, which already uses optical sensors to analyze blood vessel data over a rolling 30-day window.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is expected to debut at Apple’s traditional autumn hardware event in late 2026. It will likely share the stage with the standard Apple Watch Series 12, the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, and the highly anticipated foldable iPhone Ultra.