14 DAY TRIAL // The ECG feature available on the Apple Watch Series 4 has so far been limited to users in the United States, but by the looks of things, the Cupertino-based tech giant is now working on releasing it to users in Europe as well.
Evidence discovered in iOS 12.2, which was released only a few hours ago, seems to indicate that the ECG feature is on its way at least to some countries on the Old Continent.
The ECG functionality, which allows the Apple Watch Series 4 to create an electrocardiogram and help detect a series of heart diseases like atrial fibrillation, requires special regulatory approval in all countries. In the United States, the FDA offered its go-ahead for this feature only a few hours before its launch last September.
Release expected later this week
As reported by 9to5mac, code in iOS 12.2 specifically mentions that for “non-US regions the ECG app is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 with watchOS 5.2, paired with iPhone 5s or later with iOS 12.2 or later.” In other words, there’s a good chance Apple enables ECG readings for Europeans when watchOS 5.2 goes live, and as per the cited source, this is projected to happen as soon as this week.
Additionally, the ECG feature now comes with a CE label, which means that it has been certified for use in Europe. The countries that could get the feature aren’t yet known for the time being, but I expect Apple to release it in limited markets at first, while working on expanding availability in the coming months.
As always, Apple has remained completely tight-lipped on everything related to the ECG feature, so it remains to be seen if this report proves to be accurate. For now, the ECG tool remains available exclusive to the United States.