Apple Touts Next Week's Launch of Apple Watch ECG Feature in Taiwan

Apple is touting next week's launch of its Apple Watch electrocardiogram (ECG) feature in Taiwan, following the upcoming release of watchOS 7.2 and iOS 14.3.

In a newsroom update on its regional Taiwanese website, Apple says the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 and subsequent models will be launched in Taiwan via iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2 from Tuesday, December 15, Taiwan time.

The ECG feature, which is now available in nearly 50 countries for Apple Watch Series 4, 5, and 6, allows users to directly measure electrical heart activity by simply placing their finger on the Digital Crown for 30 seconds. The irregular heart rhythm feature intermittently measures the user's heart rate in the background and sends a notification if it detects an anomaly it categorizes as atrial fibrillation, which can be a serious heart arrhythmia condition.

Both features are considered medical diagnostics, and so they require approval from regulators in each country where they are to be made available, a requirement that has slowed the rollout of the features.

Apple says the app has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare as a Class II software for medical devices (SaMD).

iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2 are expected to be released on Monday, December 14, which is also the day that Apple Fitness+ is coming out. The new software also introduces new ECG capabilities that allow the ECG app to check for atrial fibrillation (AFib) at higher heart rates.