Apple users in Europe and Hong Kong can now monitor their ECG.
The company released watchOS 5.2 yesterday (March 27), expanding the availability of the EGC application to European countries including the United Kingdom, as well as Norway, France, Germany, Greece, and Ireland. The app is also available in Hong Kong.
First introduced in the United States in 2018 with watchOS 5.1.3, the electrocardiogram feature measures the electrical activity of your heart and detects abnormal rhythms so that it can diagnose serious heart conditions.
“We’ve seen the ECG App and irregular rhythm notifications on Apple Watch have a meaningful impact on our customers across the United States,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer in a recent interview.
“We are excited to bring these features to customers in Europe and Hong Kong, giving them access to empowering information about their heart health.”
The feature was limited to the United States, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Guam in December 2018, but today’s update expands the feature to many other countries.
As well as the ECG feature, Apple will alert users if they have an irregular heart rhythm.
How to get the update
If you can’t see the new ECG feature on your Apple Watch, then make sure you download watchOS 5.2 through the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Go to General and then Software Update, and let the app do its magic. You’ll need at least 50% battery life remaining on your Watch, and you’ll need to place it on a charger for the update.
watchOS 5.2 release notes
The release notes for the latest watchOS update are as follows:
- ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 is now available in Hong Kong and some regions in Europe. For a list of available regions, visit: https://www.apple.com/watchos/feature-availability/
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications are now available in Hong Kong and some regions in Europe. For a list of available regions, visit: https://www.apple.com/watchos/feature-availability/
- Adds support for AirPods (2nd generation) – Supports real-time text (RTT) for phone calls
What countries support the ECG feature on Apple Watch?
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Guam
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Romania
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States
- US Virgin Islands