Government database filing suggests Apple Watch ECG will soon launch in Canada

Apple has seemingly got clearance for the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4. In the Health Canada database, ECG and irregular heart rate rhythm notifications are listed as being approved as of the 16th May. The listings were first spotted by the iPhone in Canada blog.

It therefore follows that Apple will soon be enabling the ECG app in Canada, perhaps whenever iOS 12.4 and watchOS 5.3 are publicly released.

The ECG app initially launched exclusively in the United States.

Every Apple Watch Series 4 ships with the ECG hardware in the backside sensor area but software access to the feature is limited. Due to the medical association, Apple must receive regulatory approval before being able to launch the electrocardiogram analysis in each region.

Apple expanded the list of countries dramatically with the release of watchOS 5.2, bringing ECG to 19 European countries. watchOS 5.2.1 continued this trend, enabling ECG features to Apple Watch customers in Croatia, Czech Republic, Iceland, Poland and Slovakia.

Apple has said it wants to bring ECG to all Series 4 Watch users around the worldwide but has never committed to release timeframes. Naturally, getting regulatory approval is a big indicator that a launch is imminent.

It sure seems like Canadians will be able to use ECG when the next watchOS update comes out. watchOS 5.3 only went into beta last week; it will probably ship publicly in June or July.