Apple Watch ECG Feature Gets Approved in Australia

The Australian government has approved ECG functionality on the Apple Watch, giving Apple the all-clear to launch the feature for Apple Watch users in the country, according to a regulatory document first spotted by The 8-Bit.

apple watch ecg wrist
Earlier last month, the Apple Watch's irregular heart rhythm notification received approval in Australia, although ECG did not. Irregular heart rhythm is a feature that periodically reads your heart rhythm in the background and alerts you if it detects signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Both parts work in tandem as users who receive an irregular heart rhythm notification are advised to take an ECG for a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of their heart condition.

With regulator hurdles now out of the way, it's unclear when Apple will roll the feature out for users in Australia. Apple is currently testing watchOS 7.5, and although there's been no indication thus far, the update could include support for ECG in Australia. watchOS 7.4 is expected to debut in the early spring alongside iOS 14.5, which will introduce the ability to unlock an iPhone with an Apple Watch, amongst other features.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tags: Australia, ECG
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00 am PDT by
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June. According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments...
fortnite apple featured

Apple Says Fortnite for iOS Isn't Blocked Worldwide, Just the U.S.

Friday May 16, 2025 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today clarified that it has not blocked Epic Games from updating the iOS Fortnite app in the European Union, but it is not planning to allow Epic Games to offer Fortnite in the United States App Store at the current time. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that Epic Games tied its U.S. App Store submission to the update that was also being submitted to the Epic Games Store for iOS ...

Top Rated Comments

MrMaxwell Avatar
55 months ago
Finally!!!!!!!

I am going to miss commenting on ECG announcements for other countries with 'Australia?'

?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
steve09090 Avatar
55 months ago
Finally. I reckon I am so surprised that this has finally happened, I might have a heart attack!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ekwipt Avatar
55 months ago

Given the nanny state that is Australia I have no surprise this has taken this long.
You say that but we have the best medicine testing policies in the world, vitamins, fitness supplements, baby formula. Most other countries you can’t trust what’s on the labels. Australia’s not perfect but we’ve got good regulations on important products.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imattel Avatar
55 months ago
We may be late to the game here but think about how far behind the rest of the world is in episodes of Home & Away...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootLoxes Avatar
55 months ago
Welcome to the valley of the Kings my Australian friends
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobmans Avatar
55 months ago

So Apple didn’t take years to submit their paperwork? They thought “let’s advertise a feature but not make an effort in allowing that feature to work”.
They could submit it all they want, it wouldn't get approved.

TGA finally modified their policies last week (on February 25th) to allow devices like the AW to get approved, we're not even a week later and Apple has already submitted their paperwork and got it approved which means they literally had their paperwork ready on day 1. These TGA policy changes were supposed to be made last summer but due to COVID it got delayed.

Get informed:
https://www.tga.gov.au/regulation-software-based-medical-devices

Also, they never advertised ECG in Australia.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)