Apple issues watchOS 5.2, ECG app arrives in Hong Kong and Europe

AppleInsider · March 27, 2019 10:04PM

On the heels of Tuesday's release of iOS 12.2, Apple on Wednesday issued the accompanying watchOS 5.2 update for Apple Watch with ECG app support for Hong Kong and select European regions.

The inclusion of Apple's ECG app in watchOS 5.2 represents the software's first expansion beyond the U.S. borders, where the feature launched for Apple Watch Series 4 owners in December.

According to release notes supplied with the update, ECG functionality is now live in Hong Kong and "some regions" of Europe. Specific countries are not named, but Apple includes a link to its Feature Availability website for the latest on the app's rollout. As of this writing, the ECG app has gone live in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Word of a possible expansion into Europe arrive with iOS 12.2. Documentation in the operating system's Health app included references to ECG support in "non-U.S. regions," while updated regulatory markings pointed to gained compliance in the European Economic Area.

Apple revealed the ECG app alongside Apple Watch Series 4 at a special event last September. The feature, designed to detect signs of atrial fibrillation, is Apple's first to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Along with the ECG app, watchOS 5.2 includes support for the just-released second-generation AirPods, integrations for real-time text (RTT) for phone calls and new Hermes watch faces.

Users can upgrade their Apple Watch to watchOS 5.2 by downloading and remotely installing the update through the Watch app on iOS.

ivanh · March 27, 2019 10:18PM

Why Hong Kong?

entropys · March 27, 2019 10:23PM

I wonder if Apple Australia has even approached our regulators about this?

jbdragon · March 27, 2019 10:51PM

entropys said:

I wonder if Apple Australia has even approached our regulators about this?

I'm sure they have, but judging from the past, trying to get anything done in Australia hasn't been the easiest thing in the world. At some point it'll happen, but I wouldn't base buying anything on a feature that might come at some later date. You have to base it on what it currently can do.

caladanian · March 27, 2019 11:21PM

Denmark YES, Sweden YES and also Norway YES (despite not listed. It works!!!

)

edited March 2019

albegarc · March 27, 2019 11:40PM

For someone that has a Series 3 and lives in a country ehere ECG is not avilable looks like a minor update, but for security is always right to have the last version of Watch OS.

anilu_777 · March 28, 2019 1:29AM

I’m getting the AirPods 2 so glad to see the support but frustrated that again Canada isn’t on the list for the ECG app (as with many things including Apple Pay Cash and now the new Apple Card). Why does Canada always seem to be a second thought for Apple??

silvergold84 · March 28, 2019 1:36AM

In italy, Europe ,there is the update: Ecg work perfectly with notifications. Thanks Apple. You make true innovation.

soli · March 28, 2019 2:08AM

Anilu_777 said:

I’m getting the AirPods 2 so glad to see the support but frustrated that again Canada isn’t on the list for the ECG app (as with many things including Apple Pay Cash and now the new Apple Card). Why does Canada always seem to be a second thought for Apple??

Why assume that it's the vendor ignoring you and not your laws causing delays?

tickle · March 28, 2019 2:10AM

Purchased my watch in Dubai. Nothing (again) on this update. Pretty disappointed about that. If I had known they wouldn’t roll it out all at the same time and the US would be the first then I would have gotten it there instead.

Apple advertises the feature, which I think is one of the major ones and up to now there are more countries with no ECG app available ...than there is. It's the main reason I got this watch.... and the watch I got my dad.

Come on Apple!

edited March 2019

soli · March 28, 2019 2:15AM

tickle said:

Purchased my watch in Dubai. Nothing on this update. Pretty disappointed about. If I had known they wouldn’t roll it out all at the same time and the US would be the first then I would have gotten it there instead. Advertised the feature, which I think is one of the major ones and up to now there are more countries with no ECG than there is.

Come on Apple!

Yeah, come on Apple! Why hasn't Apple created a global health consortium for CE that every gov't in the world abides by. It's almost as though Apple isn't a part of the Illuminati, but we know better. /s

gc_uk · March 28, 2019 3:08AM

Soli said:
Why assume that it's the vendor ignoring you and not your laws causing delays?

Apple Pay Cash is available in which territories outside the US?

soli · March 28, 2019 3:36AM

gc_uk said:

Soli said:
Why assume that it's the vendor ignoring you and not your laws causing delays?

Apple Pay Cash is available in which territories outside the US?

If you bothered to do a simple search you'd see that APC is only available in the US right now.

Of course, your implication is that Apple could offer APC around the world because in your mind Green Dot Bank, an FDIC member, can magically operate anywhere in the world because you failed to grasp how banking actually works. You assume that sending cash via iMessage somehow has the same regulatory basis as literally sending the text "$20" over iMessage.

riverko · March 28, 2019 4:57AM

not yet supported in Czech republic. It shows that i can set up ECG app, but than it says not supported in the location...

it is so much ‘not Apple’ working... first it tells me i can set up. Than it asks me about my date of birth - why if health app knows it... first than it tells me not supported in my location - why if my phone and therefore the app know my location...

edited March 2019

fred1 · March 28, 2019 5:39AM

It works now in many European countries. Wonderful! And just 10 days ago I wrote to the European Commisioner for Health and Safety to ask about this. Coincidence? I think not! (no, I don’t really believe that, but I’m glad anyway.)

celtan · March 28, 2019 8:00AM

Confirmed working in UK.
Thanks for still being part of Europe

spheric · March 28, 2019 8:55AM

tickle said:

Purchased my watch in Dubai. Nothing (again) on this update. Pretty disappointed about that. If I had known they wouldn’t roll it out all at the same time and the US would be the first then I would have gotten it there instead.

Apple advertises the feature, which I think is one of the major ones and up to now there are more countries with no ECG app available ...than there is. It's the main reason I got this watch.... and the watch I got my dad.

Come on Apple!

Apple in no way advertises the feature in markets where it is not available.

There was no mention of the ECG app on the German site until yesterday.

fred1 · March 28, 2019 12:00PM

It’s interesting that this is in only 17 of the 27 European Union countries (if the list here has all the countries where it’s allowed). I would have expected an EU wide approval.

hodar · March 28, 2019 12:51PM

Anilu_777 said:

I’m getting the AirPods 2 so glad to see the support but frustrated that again Canada isn’t on the list for the ECG app (as with many things including Apple Pay Cash and now the new Apple Card). Why does Canada always seem to be a second thought for Apple??

I doubt the fault lies with Apple, as it would be to Apple's financial benefit to turn EKG feature on, everywhere. Look to Canadian laws and statues, there is a reason that it's not turned on, more than likely legal, and more than likely having to do with legal liability.

beowulfschmidt · March 28, 2019 1:15PM

Soli said:

Anilu_777 said:

I’m getting the AirPods 2 so glad to see the support but frustrated that again Canada isn’t on the list for the ECG app (as with many things including Apple Pay Cash and now the new Apple Card). Why does Canada always seem to be a second thought for Apple??

Why assume that it's the vendor ignoring you and not your laws causing delays?

Beat me to it.

@Anilu_777, Is there some reason you think Apple would leave Canadian users' money on the table if they don't have to? Serious question.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Apple sought Canadian approval at the same time as US approval.

beowulfschmidt · March 28, 2019 1:17PM

gc_uk said:

Soli said:
Why assume that it's the vendor ignoring you and not your laws causing delays?

Apple Pay Cash is available in which territories outside the US?

That doesn't answer Soli's question. Other countries have banking regulations in addition to health ones. Again, why assume Apple is entirely to blame for the absence of Apple Pay Cash in other countries?

Apple issues watchOS 5.2, ECG app arrives in Hong Kong and Europe

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