Last month we told you Health Canada had approved two crucial heart health features for Apple Watch Series 4 users in Canada, the electrocardiogram (ECG) app and irregular rhythm notification feature.
Apple later confirmed the ECG app was coming to Canada “as quickly as possible”, which many believed would come in an announcement at WWDC 2019. The Monday WWDC keynote has come and gone, with no new announcements on the ECG app front for Canada.
With Apple not yet ready to announce the ECG app for Apple Watch Series 4 users in Canada, the next major event will be the company’s fall iPhone extravaganza, where it is expected to release new models. Apple may announce the ECG app for Apple Watch here, as the timing would help spur holiday watch sales.
Another scenario could see the ECG app appear in a beta of watchOS 6, allowing for an earlier debut than September or October.
The final builds of iOS 13, watchOS 6, tvOS 13, iPadOS and macOS Catalina are set to release publicity this fall. Let’s hope the ECG app for Apple Watch releases by then.
With an Apple Watch Series 4, an ECG can be performed by putting a finger on the device’s Digital Crown for 30 seconds:
Electrodes built into the Digital Crown and the back crystal work together with the ECG app to read your heart’s electrical signals. Simply touch the Digital Crown to generate an ECG waveform in just 30 seconds. This data can indicate whether your heart rhythm shows signs of atrial fibrillation — a serious form of irregular heart rhythm — or sinus rhythm, which means your heart is beating in a normal pattern.
Some Canadians have been using the ECG app in Canada with their Apple Watch Series 4 models purchased in the United States. The ECG app is unlocked based on device identifier, and currently, those bought in Canada aren’t part of the heart health feature yet.
The ECG app for Apple Watch Series 4 first launched in the US, but in March, it expanded to Hong Kong and Europe.
