Thanks to an app and a docking station, your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch can take your blood pressure.
Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
For iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owners with hypertension concerns, their next dock could also be a "doc." The iHealth Blood Pressure Dock comes with a self-inflating cuff and an iOS app.
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What's up, dock?
The dock fits Apple's minimalist aesthetic and holds an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch on its stand by way of the 30-pin connector.
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Mini-USB
The Mini-USB port isn't the most up-to-date. We'd be more than happy with a USB port that let us use our iOS devices' chargers if we lost the included cable.
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Insert monitor here
The hose leading to the blood pressure band fits snugly into this port.
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Ready, set, go
The cuff was easy to put on and fairly comfortable to wear, but we found it rather tall. It's technically one-size-fits-all, but it can easily span most of the height of an upper arm.
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Easy activation
The large Start button on the corresponding iHealth app makes next steps clear.
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Sit back and relax
It takes a few seconds for the cuff to inflate and take a reading. The app reminds you to relax. Nervousness can increase your blood pressure, which is one reason that monitoring yourself in the comfort of your home can be useful.
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Results
After taking your blood pressure, the app reads out your stats: date, time, systolic and diastolic readings, and your pulse.
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Data crawl
The app can track and help interpret your numbers over time. iHealth will calculate your average, show where you stand with World Health Organization figures, and e-mail time-stamped results.
