ECG feature for Apple Watch Series 4 and 5 coming to Japan soon

Apple’s ECG application and irregular heart rhythm notifications on the Apple Watch Series 5 and Series 4 have received approval and certification from Japan’s medical authorities, meaning that both features will be available in the country very soon. The company will roll out the heart monitoring feature in Japan easily with an update to Apple’s watchOS for existing Watch owners soon.

Previously, in June it was reported that Apple will launch the ECG feature in Japan and Brazil. Recently, the heart rhythm tracking feature was rolled out in Saudi Arabia. At the time of launch, the EGC feature was available in selected regions and is being gradually expanded to new countries.

Apple’s ECG feature receives medical approval in Japan

The approval was confirmed by the Japanese Association for the Advancement of Medical Equipment (JAAME) on Friday, September 4.

As a result of the approval, the Ochanomizu Department of Cardiology has started moving ahead with its Apple Watch Outpatient program, which will help listed patients use devices to help them record suspected arrhythmia attacks and submit them to their doctor, for further examination.

‌‌Apple Watch‌‌ Series 4 and 5 users can generate an ECG waveform in just 30 seconds by placing their finger on the Digital Crown. The idea with this feature is that users can take this information to their doctor, if the results are irregular, and use it as a basis to identify if they have any larger issues at hand. The description of the app reads:

“The ECG app records an electrocardiogram which represents the electrical pulses that make your heart beat. The ECG app checks these pulses to get your heart rate and see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm. If they’re out of rhythm, that could be AFib”.

Apple has to gain approval from government health agencies before marketing the ‌‌Apple Watch‌‌’s ECG feature in different countries. Apple won U.S. FDA approval to promote the feature when the ‌‌Apple Watch‌‌ Series 4 launched in 2018.

Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) updated its list of registered foreign manufacturers to add the tech giant as a certified entity, in June.

Next-Generation Apple Watch

The Cupertino tech giant is expected to release Series 6 of its smartwatch this year. Industry reports and supply chain leaks indicate that the next-generation Apple Watch will be equipped with high-level health features like native sleep tracking, and a pulse oximeter to monitor blood-oxygen level.