Apple Watch ECG App Receives Approval in China, Already Working in watchOS 8 Beta 2

Friday June 25, 2021 9:00 am PDT by Sami Fathi

The Apple Watch ECG (electrocardiogram) functionality has received regulatory approval in China, giving Apple the all-clear to launch the feature for Apple Watch users in the country.

apple watch ecg wrist
According to a new document posted today by China's National Medical Products Administration, Apple has received approval for an ECG. The filing doesn't offer any details about when the feature may launch to Chinese Apple Watch users; however, posts on Chinese social network Weibo, spotted by ITHome, suggest that the feature is already live on the latest watchOS 8 betas.

With the Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, and Series 6, users can take an ECG by placing their finger on the Digital Crown while they wear their watch. The Apple Watch, using an array of onboard sensors, reads the electrical pulses from a wearer's heart. The reading, which can be viewed as a PDF through the Health app on the paired iPhone, can detect if a user's heart is out of rhythm and possibly experiencing atrial fibrillation.

ECG on the Apple Watch most recently launched in Australia and Vietnam as part of the watchOS 7.4 update.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9

Tags: China, ECG

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Top Rated Comments

Techwatcher

29 months ago

Was surprised China approved this at first.

Then I realized I'm not surprised since it means this gives their government full access to the citizens' health information. :rolleyes:

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

John6me

Still waiting for this feature in Mexico :(

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

IIGS User

That's great.

So now they'll have a better idea of who's organs are most worthy of harvesting.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ghost187

This long process of getting approval all over the world is probably the reason we are not getting new health sensors on a yearly basis. Also, when are we going to get a basic thermometer on our watch? Sounds basic enough to me.

oliversl

We need this support in LatinAmerica

MauiPa

This is the main reason why I went with an SE instead of a Series 6, the main differences were the ECG which is not available in Mexico anyway, the oximeter which was considered not very accurate and a novelty and the altimeter which I'd never use. I didn't care about the always on display as I would turn it off anyways...

I hope when it's time to upgrade in two years time we finally get ECG here.

vast majority of sources say the oximeter is accurate (for the technology type, not medical diagnostic grade of course).

I just got a series 6, no more handheld ECG!. Had my first event today, detected afib, best of all you can record your symptoms at the time of event.

I would suggest you contact your regulatory bodies if you want approval for devices, you know, regulation. HAHA, like they will listen or care

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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