Fingertip Tech: Huawei's New Watch Trick

The Huawei Watch 5 is making waves, but not in the US. This smartwatch stands out with a unique feature: a fingertip sensor. Most smartwatches track health metrics from the wrist, but the Watch 5 goes a step further. It includes a sensor array on the side that measures EKGs, blood oxygen, and arterial stiffness from the fingertip. This new tech is called "multi-sensing X-TAP technology. " It packs several sensors into the watch's side, including a pressure sensor, an EKG electrode, and an optical heart rate sensor. Huawei claims this setup boosts signal quality by 10 to 50 times. The fingertip is indeed a prime spot for accurate heart rate data due to its rich blood supply. This is why medical-grade pulse oximeters often use the fingertip. The Watch 5 offers a quick "one-tap health glance" feature. In just 60 seconds, it provides a snapshot of your health: average heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, skin temperature, stress levels, EKGs, arterial stiffness, respiratory overview, and sleep quality. Most of these features were already on the Watch 4, but heart rate variability is new.

Beyond the fingertip sensor, the Watch 5 has a few other updates. It introduces two new gesture controls: double slide and double tap. The display is brighter, with a peak of 3, 000 nits, and the bezels are thinner. It comes in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm, with options for titanium and stainless steel. Battery life varies by model and settings, with the 46mm offering the longest duration. The watch supports cellular connectivity and works with both Android and iOS. Huawei is particularly proud of the purple titanium 46mm model. Creating a true purple hue on titanium is challenging, but Huawei claims to have achieved it through advanced oxidation methods. However, the resulting color appears more like a blue-gray sheen rather than a vibrant purple. This might disappoint those expecting a bold, deep purple. The Watch 5 is now available for preorder in the UK and Europe, with an official launch on March 26th. Prices start at £399. 99 / €499. 99, roughly $550. The 42mm model comes in various colors and finishes, while the 46mm offers more options, including the controversial purple.

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