The Apple Watch 7's standout health upgrade may be one we didn't expect. At least not recently.

Sources buried in supply chain reports detailing the Apple Watch 7's release date and production woes told Nikkei Asia that the upcoming Apple Watch will offer blood pressure monitoring. Not blood glucose monitoring, as had been rumored in early rumors, but blood pressure monitoring.

Since Samsung's new Galaxy Watch 4 and older Galaxy Watch models include blood pressure monitoring, we thought it was only a matter of time before the Apple Watch would include this feature.

For all we know, blood pressure monitoring may have been ready with last year's Apple Watch 6 or even the Apple Watch SE. However, it would be unlike Apple to announce a new health tool without the backing of medical authorities, i.e., the FDA.

The Galaxy Watch 4 blood pressure monitor is specifically not available to people in the U.S. for this reason; the FDA's noninvasive blood pressure monitor guidance outlines a number of necessary tests and certifications of accuracy, but it is unclear why Samsung has not met those requirements. We do know that calibrating a blood pressure monitor is more intensive than knowing how to use the body composition feature of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, for example.

If Apple were to release a smartwatch that promised a blood pressure monitor, it would probably do so when as many of the Apple Watch's 100 million users as possible have access to it.

The limited Apple Watch 7 leaks have proven the company's success in keeping its plans for the next-generation smartwatch a surprise, but more information is leaking out as the anticipated launch approaches. apple Watch 7 will have a flat-edge design In addition to being almost certain to be larger in size, it is believed to be powered by a new double-sided S7 processor for improved performance.

One thing we haven't heard about, however, is the health upgrade; in addition to supporting new activity types and mental wellness initiatives in watchOS 8, we were wondering what unique health features the Apple Watch will offer . After rumors of blood sugar monitoring were squashed, I thought something like the skin temperature reader found in Fitbit Sense would make sense.

Something like blood pressure monitoring, perhaps? The last I heard, Apple is working on blood pressure tracking, but it will not be ready for the Apple Watch 6. The source cited accuracy issues.

As long as Apple can reach the accuracy required by the FDA, or at least prove that it cannot fool someone's grasp of their vitals, blood pressure monitoring would certainly help the Apple Watch retain its title of best smartwatch. At the very least, it will be the best Apple Watch ever in terms of health and wellness tracking.

This is mostly speculation based on what we know about Samsung's approach to non-invasive blood pressure monitoring with the Galaxy Watch and the rumors we have heard over the past two years about blood pressure monitoring on the Apple Watch.

Nikkei reports and sources could be completely wrong: according to Bloomberg's Mark Garman, there is "zero chance" that blood pressure monitoring will happen with the Apple Watch 7. Garman's information on Apple is generally credible.

In any case, as more updates come off the production line, more details should emerge about what features will (or will not) be included in the Apple Watch 7.