Australia finally approves ECG feature on Apple Watch

The Australian government has finally approved ECG functionality on the Apple Watch. The ECG feature was first announced back in September 2018 and works on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later.

First noticed by The 8-bit, users of the compatible Apple Watch in Australia can now perform ECG tests from the comfort of their home – or anywhere, actually. According to the document of approval:

The ECG app is a software-only mobile medical application that is intended to be used with the Apple Watch to create, record, store, transfer, and display a single-channel electrocardiogram (ECG) similar to a Lead I ECG. The ECG app determines the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) or sinus rhythm on a classifiable waveform. The ECG app is not recommended for users with other known arrhythmias.

The ECG app is intended for over-the-counter (OTC) use. The ECG data displayed by the ECG app is intended for informational use only. The user is not intended to interpret or take clinical action based on the device output without consultation with a qualified health professional. The ECG waveform is meant to supplement rhythm classification for the purposes of discriminating AF from normal sinus rhythm and is not intended to replace traditional methods of diagnosis or treatment. The ECG app is not intended for use in people under 22 years old.

The approval comes nearly a month after Australia approved Apple Watch’s irregular heart rhythm notifications feature (via EFTM). This feature reads heart rhythm in the background and notifies if any signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib) is detected.

Although the feature has received a green light from the Australian government, it’s still unclear when Apple will release the feature to Apple Watch users in Australia. Once Apple rolls out the feature in Australia, go to the Health app, then to Heart, and tap into Electrocardiogram (ECG) to get started with ECG on Apple Watch. To use the ECG feature, your device must run on iOS 12.2 or later and watchOS 5.2 or later. You can visit Apple’s support page for more information.