Apple on Monday released watchOS 7.6 to users around the world, bringing with it expanded availability of heart-related Apple Watch features like ECG functionality and irregular rhythm notifications.
Quietly announced in an update to Apple’s watchOS Feature Availability webpage, watchOS 7.6 delivers ECG functionality to 30 new countries and territories including Fiji, Haiti and Vatican City.
Those same regions also also net access to irregular rhythm notifications, a key component of Apple’s heart health suite of features that alerts users to potentially dangerous heart rates and rhythms including atrial fibrillation. The feature is powered by Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor and the Heart Rate app.
A full list of countries that received Apple Watch heart monitoring features:
Prior to today’s release of watchOS 7.6, Apple most recently introduced Apple Watch ECG features to Australia in May.
Similar to single-lead ECGs used in consumer health devices, Apple’s solution uses electrodes placed in Apple Watch’s case and Digital Crown to measure electrical signals from the heart and produce a waveform. Heart rate and rhythm data are then used to classify AFib, or atrial fibrillation. Results range from normal sinus rhythm to AFib and low or heart rate.
The ECG feature is available on Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5 and Series 6.
Apple on Monday issued iOS 14.7, tvOS 14.7 and watchOS 7.6 with bug fixes and performance improvements.
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