Apple Releases watchOS 5.3 With Walkie-Talkie Bug Fix, ECG Support for Canada and Singapore
Apple today released watchOS 5.3, the seventh update to the watchOS 5 operating system that runs on modern Apple Watch models. watchOS 5.3 comes more than a month after the launch of watchOS 5.2.1, a minor update that expanded ECG availability.
watchOS 5.3 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
No new features were discovered in watchOS 5.3 during the beta testing process, but according to Apple's iOS 12.4 release notes, the new update, along with iOS 12.4, fixes a major bug in the Walkie-Talkie app that could allow it to be used to spy on people and it once again makes the Walkie-Talkie app accessible.
The watchOS 5.3 update also brings ECG support and irregular heart rhythm notifications to Apple Watch Series 4 owners in both Canada and Singapore. The ECG feature's launch in Canada comes a few months after Apple confirmed that it was working to bring ECG functionality to the Apple Watch in Canada "as quickly as possible."
Health Canada initially approved the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications on Apple Watch Series 4 in May. ECG capabilities are now available in more than 25 countries, following the feature's rollout to many European countries earlier this year. A list of countries where ECG functionality is available can be found on Apple's Apple Watch feature availability website.
Apple's full watchOS 5.3 release notes:
This update includes new features, improvements and bug fixes and is recommended for all users:
- Provides important security updates including a fix for the Walkie-Talkie app
- ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 now available in Canada and Singapore
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications now available in Canada and Singapore
watchOS 5.3 may be one of the final updates to the watchOS 5 operating system as Apple shifts its focus to watchOS 6, which is currently being beta tested ahead of a planned fall release.
Popular Stories
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
Apple with iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 introduced a new NameDrop feature that is designed to allow users to place Apple devices near one another to quickly exchange contact information. Sharing contact information is done with explicit user permission, but some news organizations and police departments have been spreading misinformation about how functions. As noted by The Washington Post,...
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
Google Drive users have been warned not to disconnect their account within the Google Drive for desktop app, after a spate of reports of files going missing from the cloud service. Alarm bells began ringing last week on Google's community support site when some users reported files mysteriously disappearing from Google Drive, with some posters claiming six or more months of data had...
Top Rated Comments
"Mirror Phone" is anything but...
watchOS 5.1.2 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/12/06/watchos-5-1-2-released-with-ecg-app/'): ECG app v1.1 ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-releases-watchos-5-1-2-with-ecg-new-infograph-complications-and-walkie-talkie-control-center-toggle.2159056/page-9#post-27230555') (initial US release)
watchOS 5.1.3 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/01/22/apple-releases-watchos-5-1-3/'): ECG app v1.2 ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-releases-watchos-5-1-3-with-bug-fixes-and-performance-improvements.2166340/page-2#post-27023412')
watchOS 5.2.0 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/03/27/apple-releases-watchos-5-2/'): ECG app v1.10 ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-releases-watchos-5-2-with-ecg-functionality-in-europe-and-hong-kong-airpods-2-support.2175299/page-4#post-27229174') (available in Europe and Hong Kong)
watchOS 5.2.1 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/05/13/apple-releases-watchos-5-2-1/'): ECG app v1.13 ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-releases-watchos-5-2-1-with-ecg-functionality-for-additional-european-countries.2181139/#post-27359803') (additional ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WatchOS#watchOS_5.x') European countries)
watchOS 5.3.0 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/07/22/apple-watchos-5-3-ecg-canada/'): ECG app v1.18 (available in Canada and Singapore)
/edit
now found it