One of the newer features of the Apple Watch is its built-in ECG monitoring tool. However, due to the nature of the tool, it requires it to be approved by medical bodies in the countries they launch in. As a result, the ECG tool while present in the Apple Watch, is not enabled for various countries around the world.
The good news for those living in Brazil and Japan is that the feature could soon be enabled. For example, Brazil’s Health Regulatory Agency (their equivalent of the FDA) has approved the ECG tool and has made a statement claiming that it can now be enabled in the country. Over in Japan, Macotakara reports that Apple had registered as a certified manufacturer with the country’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency.
While it is unclear what the registry is for, it has been speculated that it is most likely for the Apple Watch’s ECG monitoring app, suggesting that it might not be too long before the ECG feature is available for Apple Watch owners over in Japan.
There are still many countries around the world where the Apple Watch ECG monitoring tool has yet to be released, but like we said, this requires clearance with the local governing bodies so it could be a while before the feature becomes available globally. In the meantime, we are seeing quite a bit of success with the feature, where there have been various reports of how the ECG tool has managed to save several lives.
Filed in . Read more about Apple Watch, Health, Japan, Legal, Smartwatch and Wearable Tech. Source: 9to5mac