Garmin has officially announced the Forerunner 975, the company's first fitness watch to include FDA-cleared continuous blood pressure monitoring. The device, revealed at a press event on Tuesday, uses a combination of optical sensors and a proprietary algorithm to measure blood pressure throughout the day without requiring a cuff or manual inflating.
In addition to blood pressure tracking, the Forerunner 975 features an upgraded heart rate sensor with improved accuracy during high-intensity activities, built-in GPS with multi-band satellite connectivity, and a battery life of up to 14 days in smartwatch mode. The always-on AMOLED display offers enhanced readability in direct sunlight.
The watch will retail for $649 when it launches on May 15 and will be available in four colorways. Early reviews from fitness technology journalists who tested pre-production units have been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling the blood pressure feature a genuine breakthrough for consumer health wearables.
