A Deep Exploration into X-TAP: Get 9 Health Metrics with a Single Tap

Written by Prof. Łukasz Małek, MD, PhD

A Deep Exploration into X-TAP: Get 9 Health Metrics with a Single Tap

7 min read
Published on 26/11/2025 · 14:10

Modern Wearables can monitor a wide range of health parameters, including heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Thanks to developments in technology, it is now possible to continuously track these metrics outside of clinical settings. Additionally, features such as a one-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded over 30 seconds have proven effective in detecting atrial fibrillation [2].

Although medical professionals are still learning how to integrate smartwatch data into clinical practice, the expanding volume of information brings growing insight. It is only a matter of time before variations in recorded data can be directly linked to clinical events. Wearables, like the HUAWEI WATCH 5, gather even more data than before, and faster than ever.

About the Author

Prof. Łukasz Małek, MD, PhD

Sports Cardiologist and Professor at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw

Graduate of the Medical University of Warsaw, with specialization in cardiology at the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw. Prof. Małek holds a master’s degree in Sports Cardiology from St. George’s University of London, and is currently a professor at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw and a consultant at sports cardiology clinics. He is an author and co-author of over 200 scientific publications and three monographs on sports cardiology, as well as an amateur marathon and ultramarathon runner.

Multi Sensing X-TAP Technology

For the first time for a HUAWEI wearable, the HUAWEI WATCH 5 also captures data from the fingertip rather than exclusively from the wrist, as has been the case with all previous smartwatches from any HUAWEI wearable series. Fingertips contain a denser network of blood vessels and have thinner skin, allowing for more precise measurements. This also makes data collection significantly faster.

The watch still uses its wrist-based PPG sensor as well. The combination of wrist and fingertip data improves accuracy especially in comparison with previous generations of HUAWEI smartwatches. Within three seconds of placing your fingertip on X-TAP, the HUAWEI WATCH 5 can begin recording up to nine health parameters, all within 60 seconds. The sequence includes a 30-second ECG strip, a 15-second scan of other parameters, and a final 15 seconds of voluntary coughing to assess respiratory function.

Multi-sensing X-TAP Technology

Aerospace-grade titanium/Luxury 904L stainless steel

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One-tap Health Glance

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This feature, known as “Health Glance” measures:

•Heart rate
•Heart rate variability
•SpO2
•Skin temperature
•Stress level
•ECG analysis
•Arterial stiffness
•Respiratory function
•Sleep breathing awareness (from the previous night)

Disclaimer: The number of available health indicators on Health Glance may vary by country and region.

Good to know：

This innovation is made possible by a new button on the watch's left side, known as X-TAP. It houses three integrated sensors:

1. A tactile sensor, which registers touch pressure;
2. A photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor, like those on the back of most smartwatches, using light to detect blood volume changes in microvessels;
3. An electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor.

Staying Accompanied at All Times

My main concern with most smartwatches has been that manufacturers limit their function to data collection without providing users, mostly non-medical individuals, any explanation of what the results might mean. Although such devices are not classified as medical tools, the overwhelming flood of health data without context can cause anxiety in some users [3]. The HUAWEI WATCH 5, while no replacement for seeing a qualified health professional, offers meaningful explanations of collected data and possible reasons for any abnormalities. Its guiding principles are:

•Educating users on lifestyle factors that influence health metrics,

•Offering suggestions for lifestyle modifications,

•Creating a personalized health data repository.

The messages accompanying each result are designed to be informative rather than alarming. They emphasize that the data serves as a digital record of your baseline parameters and their normal fluctuations. This personalized reference can be critical in identifying meaningful deviations in the future, and can be used to assist healthcare professionals alongside medical testing. In many countries, patients lack access to continuous health records, and wearables can help bridge the gap by offering a personalized and consistent overview of key health indicators.

How Stiff Are Your Arteries and Why Should You Care?

Arterial stiffness is assessed using pulse wave velocity (PWV), measured in meters per second. The stiffer the arteries, the faster the pulse wave travels, raising PWV. Conversely, elastic arteries slow the wave. Knowing your PWV can motivate positive changes like quitting smoking, improving your diet, reducing stress, seeking professional advice concerning your health.

One of the parameters HUAWEI WATCH 5 measure are arterial stiffness. Healthy arteries are elastic, but over time and due to factors such as aging, stress, smoking, poor diet, hypertension, and diabetes, they can become rigid from calcification and fibrosis. This stiffness is a known risk factor for future cardiovascular events.

How SpO2 Analysis Can Predict Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Another interesting health insight is the detection of breathing interruptions during sleep. When coupled with drops in SpO2, this may suggest more serious conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) requiring diagnosis or treatment by a suitably qualified health professional. OSA occurs when airflow is blocked during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing that last longer than 10 seconds and occur more than five times per hour. Two main factors cause OSA:

•Anatomical features of the facial structure affecting airflow,

•Fat deposits in the upper airway, causing muscles in the throat to collapse during sleep.

These breathing interruptions cause sudden awakenings, often several times per hour. Affected individuals rarely reach deep sleep and may feel persistently tired. Common symptoms include morning headaches, daytime drowsiness, high blood pressure, and arrhythmias. While the HUAWEI WATCH 5 does not diagnose or screen OSA, it may provide important information about abnormal breathing patterns during sleep, which can prompt early lifestyle changes – such as weight loss, smoking cessation, or reducing alcohol.

I once treated a professional rugby player with reduced athletic performance. Clinical tests showed a slow heart rate (bradycardia), frequent heartbeat pauses during sleep, mild hypertension, and increased arterial stiffness. Like many contact sport athletes, he had a large neck. He also reported snoring and daytime fatigue – classic OSA symptoms. Polysomnography confirmed the diagnosis. After adopting lifestyle changes and using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, his symptoms, bradyarrhythmia, and hypertension resolved without further treatment.

Had this patient used wearable technology, he might have identified the problem earlier through sleep-related respiratory data, SpO2 drops, and arterial stiffness measurements.

Conclusion

The HUAWEI WATCH 5 enables users to measure a variety of health parameters quickly and easily through the X-TAP feature. This information can form a personal health record, useful both for long-term monitoring and for immediate lifestyle guidance. Accompanied by built-in explanations, it empowers users to understand and act on their health data.

The author of this article is Prof. Łukasz Małek. The views expressed are his own.
The information is to be used as general information only, and is not to be taken as advice with respect to any individual situation and cannot be relied upon as such. A healthcare provider should be consulted when attempting to diagnose a condition or when determining the best course of action for any health-related concern.

The ECG feature is intended to be used by people aged 18 years and over, but is not intended to replace any medical diagnosis or treatment. Data obtained during the use of this feature is for personal reference only. Before using ECG, please carefully read the Instruction for Use

Due to national restrictions on obtaining approval / registration as a medical device, ECG feature only works on watches and smartphones purchased in countries where the service is currently available. Supported smartphones: Mobile phones with Android 6.0 or compatibles, HarmonyOS 2.0 or compatibles, or iOS 12.0 or compatibles. The Huawei Health app version on your mobile phone must be 11.0 or compatibles. Please make sure that your wearable device and phone are running the latest versions before using ECG.

The Health Glance, sleep monitoring, stress, SpO2, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, arterial stiffness, respiratory overview features are not a medical device, and therefore its monitoring data and results are for reference only and should not be used as a basis for medical diagnosis or treatment.

References
1.Singh B, et al. (2024): Real-World Accuracy of Wearable Activity Trackers for Detecting Medical Conditions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
2.Svennberg E, et al. (2022): How to use digital devices to detect and manage arrhythmias: an EHRA practical guide.
3.Choudhury A & Asan O. (2021): Impact of using wearable devices on psychological distress: Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey.
4.Vlachopoulos C, et al. (2010): Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with arterial stiffness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
5.Cinar Bilge P, et al. (2024): Scanning of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome using smartwatch: A comparison of smartwatch and polysomnography.
6.Caia J, et al. (2020): Obstructive sleep apnea in professional rugby league athletes: An exploratory study.