At the end! Garmin's gadget to replace missing smartwatch metric available outside US
Garmin has announced this garmin index bpmSmart blood pressure monitors to measure and track systolic and diastolic blood pressure are now finally available in the UK and other countries, including the EU.
The Garmin Index BPM is priced at £159.99 (it's available in the US for $149.99, but there's still no word on availability in Australia) and was previously slated to launch in the US in 2022.
Even though the best fitness trackers help us paint an accurate picture of our health, there are some things that we need additional devices to track. One such metric is blood pressure, which is particularly difficult to measure accurately with a smartwatch LED sensor. Some smartwatches have attempted to circumvent this, like the Huawei Watch D which has the cuff hidden in the strap, but there is no widely adopted consensus yet.
The device will interface with Garmin Connect, an app many users already use for fitness tracking with the best Garmin watches. However, the app can also be used in a standalone capacity, and does not require the watch to work with the blood pressure monitor.
Dan Bartel, vice president of global consumer sales for Garmin, said via a press release, “Garmin is a trusted name in the health and fitness industry, and we're excited to introduce Index BPM as another tool to stay on top of your health. Excited to do.”
“When using Index BPM as part of the larger Garmin ecosystem, all of your health and fitness data can be viewed directly in Garmin Connect, helping you get a more complete look at your overall health in one app. “
What happens from this?
Like traditional blood pressure monitors, the Garmin Index BPM requires users to wear a cuff, but it's connected to a battery pack with a smart display. Garmin says the cuff is adjustable for arms with 9-17 inches, or 22-42 cm) circumference.
Unlike a standard blood pressure monitor, the Index can use Wi-Fi to relay data back to Garmin Connect, with up to 16 people able to use one device with their own Garmin Connect accounts. This could make it an ideal purchase for families that include everyone from serious athletes to elderly family members with heart health issues.
Once connected, the app can show trends and history, set reminders to log blood pressure and generate reports in various increments that can be easily shared via PDF, perhaps a For medical professionals.
The Index BPM runs on four AAA batteries, and one set will last up to nine months.
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