Canada Approves watchOS 9's AFib History Feature
AFib History, one of watchOS 9's new health features, this week received regulatory approval in Canada, seemingly making it the first country to do so outside the United States ahead of the release of watchOS 9 later this year.
AFib History allows individuals diagnosed with atrial fibrillation to view an estimate of how frequently their heart is in this type of arrhythmia, according to Apple. The feature is intended for individuals aged 22 years or older who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
Health Canada yesterday approved the AFib History for both the Apple Watch and the iPhone, regulatory filings show. Canada appears to be the second country to approve the new feature after the United States, where it received FDA clearance after being validated in a clinical study. Last month, Apple said the average difference in weekly measurements between the Apple Watch and an FDA-cleared reference device was less than one percent.
The AFib History feature could prove useful when a patient receives an ablation treatment for chronic atrial fibrillation, but the treatment is unsuccessful at first attempt and the patient continues to experience atrial fibrillation.
Upon previewing watchOS 9, Apple said that AFib History is not currently approved in all countries or regions, so availability of the feature will likely be limited at launch. That being said, there is still time for other regulatory authorities to approve AFib History before the official release of watchOS 9 later this year.
Thanks, Jen!
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026:
The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
Under-screen Face ID...
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store.
The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the United States, according to the company's website. Most of the values declined slightly, but some of the Mac values increased.
iPhone
...
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices.
In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Consistent with previous...
Verizon today announced it will be offering customers a $20 account credit after a major outage on Wednesday, and action is required to receive it.
The carrier said affected customers can accept the credit by logging into the My Verizon app, but it might take some time before this option shows up in the app. Affected customers will receive a text message when the credit is available.
On...
Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest.
A new iPad Air is...
