Apple Just Made My Old Watch Too Good to Replace
In 2023, I upgraded my Apple Watch from the Series 5 to the Series 9, mainly because the hardware leap between those generations finally made it worth it. Until then, I never really felt the need to upgrade. Like many people in the workforce, I’m not swapping devices every year. I’m very aware of planned obsolescence and appreciate companies that extend the value of existing hardware through software updates. And yesterday, Apple gave me the best reason to stick with my Series 9 for at least the next 12 months.
On September 15, Apple rolled out watchOS 26 for Apple Watch Series 6 and later, including the Ultra and SE models. Among the new features, devices like the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 finally got the long-rumored “Hypertension Notifications” feature. Apple has been rumored to launch this since at least 2022, so naturally, I assumed it would require new hardware. Turns out, it doesn’t.
What Apple’s New Hypertension Notifications Actually Do (and How to Turn Them On)
Apple’s new Hypertension Notifications feature is designed to quietly watch for patterns in your heart data that may indicate high blood pressure, one of the most common but silent heart conditions. If the watch spots something unusual over time, it will nudge you with a notification so you can follow up with a doctor.
Here’s how to set it up:
- Make sure your Apple Watch is running the latest version of watchOS 26 and that Wrist Detection is turned on.
- Open the Health app on your iPhone.
- Go to your profile icon in the upper corner.
- Under Features, tap Health Checklist > Hypertension Notifications.
- Tap Set Up.
- Answer a quick eligibility check: Apple asks if you’re 22 or older and if you’ve ever been diagnosed with hypertension.
- This feature is meant for people who haven’t been diagnosed yet.
- Confirm, and you’re done. Your watch will now monitor heart data in the background.
Once enabled, the watch collects enough data to build a baseline, which takes about 30 days, before you see any results. The longer you wear it, the more accurate the notifications become. So, if you update your Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, or Ultra 2 today, you’ll start getting insights about what your heart data can reveal about your blood pressure by mid-October.
Moreover, the high blood pressure detection feature has been FDA-cleared since September 13, which means Apple can now officially market it as a clinically validated tool, giving users and doctors more confidence in its reliability.
I’m Not Getting the Series 11, and You Probably Shouldn’t Either
Smartwatch hardware has reached a point where yearly upgrades feel unnecessary. While smartphones continue to improve rapidly—especially with AI and camera technology—watches are improving more slowly. Garmin’s switch to microLED in the Fenix 8 Pro is impressive, but still priced far out of reach for most people.
Right now, the biggest leaps are happening through software. That includes smarter features, better insights, and sometimes, like in this case, health tools that used to seem out of reach. Apple even managed to improve battery life with the Series 11, which was a welcome surprise in 2025. But in terms of sensors and chip performance, the current generation already does a lot.
What really stands out is Apple’s decision to bring key features like Hypertension Notifications to recent models rather than holding them back for the Series 11 and Ultra 3. That move matters. It shows that Apple is still investing in existing devices. My Series 9 still charges once a day, the screen is holding up well, and I have no complaints about the performance. There’s no real reason to upgrade right now.
During Apple’s recent launch, Dr. Sumbul Ahmad Desai, VP of Health, shared that this new feature could help over a million people in its first year. That kind of impact wouldn’t be possible if it was limited to new hardware only.
Even though I don’t have high blood pressure, I still find value in tracking long-term trends. I can see when I’ve been less active or slipping on my diet. That kind of feedback keeps me more aware of how small changes affect my health. And if my current watch can give me those insights just by being on my wrist, it’s doing exactly what I need it to do.
So for now, I’ll be skipping the Series 11. My Series 9 just got a major upgrade, and I didn’t have to buy anything new to get it.
What about you? Are you planning to buy the new Series 11 or Ultra 3, or is the watchOS 26 update already good enough for you?
