Since its introduction with the Apple Watch Collection 4, the ECG characteristic has been obtainable just for Apple Watches bought in the USA. The one method for customers from different areas to get entry to the characteristic was to buy the system within the US, however extra recent changes to the software have made even that workaround impractical.
It appears like that’s going to alter with the introduction of watchOS 5.2. Documentation discovered on iOS 12.2 launched earlier at the moment that describes regulatory data for the ECG characteristic mentions that the characteristic “is offered on Apple Watch Collection 4 with watchOS 5.1.2 or later” for US areas, nevertheless it additionally mentions that “for non-US areas “the ECG app is offered on Apple Watch Collection 4 with watchOS 5.2, paired with iPhone 5s or later with iOS 12.2 or later”.
The addition of this point out of non-US areas with the requirement of watchOS 5.2 strongly means that the characteristic goes to be opened as much as extra international locations with the introduction of watchOS 5.2, most likely later this week.
One other addition to the iOS 12.2 replace is a CE mark particular to the ECG characteristic. This implies that the brand new area goes to be comprised of nations of the European Financial Space (EEA), which undertake this particular certification. This consists of all EU international locations and likewise Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
The web page on Apple’s web site itemizing characteristic availability nonetheless hasn’t been up to date to replicate this alteration, however we count on it to be up to date as quickly as watchOS 5.2 is out to all clients, which ought to occur later this week.
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