Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I guess there will be a grey market for these things. So long as people don't mind the additional cost.
 
WOW! **** you Apple!

I love how the ****heads waited with releasing this information so people who bought on release day cannot return the watch.

I bet you'll need to buy a new shiny ECG enabled model if you want the feature after it's approved by your country too.
WOW! Triggered much?!?

Apple SPECIFICALLY stated in the Keynote that the ECG functionality would be U.S.-ONLY until they got the necessary approvals in other countries.
[doublepost=1544133303][/doublepost]
Works with other apps. Wasn't specifically stated it wouldn't. Apple confirmed the HW is the same for all models.
Yes it was. Sorry you didn't do your due diligence.
 
If you don’t know what you’re buying, you’re more doomed than Apple. BtW, I have a bridge to sell you ...

And if you cannot be transparent with your customers who are largely not experts in the devices, and your own staff in your stores are lying to said customers...well, i suspect you like feeling superior to all those dilweeds huh.
 
1. you assume people read MacRumors, or watch keynotes before purchasing a watch
2. there are people purchasing their products in apple stores have been told some little fibs
3. doesnt change the significant increase in product cost globally, which includes the extra cost on a function that is limited to USA, and known to be limited to the USA. Crying about not wanting more SKU's is garbage in the face of Apples massively increased SKU count.


  1. If people aren't reading posts about the watch or looking at the keynote, then presumably they're relying on local advertising and displays. And so far, I haven't seen any evidence that the ads or the displays have promised anything different than what was said in the keynote. That is, that this feature would be available before EOY in the US and elsewhere as approvals roll in.
  2. I don't doubt there have been clueless or wrong sales people at times, but I see no evidence that there's any pattern of this as a widespread practice.
  3. It's limited to the USA for now. Apple said they would roll this out as they can to other countries. The watch cost more for many reasons; bigger screen, better processor, other hardware upgrades. Who knows how much the ECG hardware adds to the COGS, but it's only one drop in a larger bucket. Anyway, there were no secrets about what the watch cost and what features it had so no one with even minimal awareness knew what they were buying and made their own cost-benefit judgement.
 
And if you cannot be transparent with your customers who are largely not experts in the devices, and your own staff in your stores are lying to said customers...well, i suspect you like feeling superior to all those dilweeds huh.

My bridge is transparent. So are Apple’s terms. If you believe the terms to be different than Apple’s stated terms, maybe you should read those terms again.
 
They probably will not unlock these watches - if they do care about these cases they will more likely replace them. If not, people will have to wait until the watch gets approval in the country of purchase. My guess is, that in most countries these approvals will come in Q1 next year.
I bet well never find out how they handle this situation because there are so few cases of it honestly.
 
SHAME on you apple... This is not the apple we Percieved...

Someone said: Whatever rises, falls too...
I think the fall has begun...
LOL oh boy this is so crazy... are you sure you are a Sensible Apple Fan?? did you actually pay attention on what was said durringthe keynote or read anything about the watch?

Don't be a drama queen... read/listen before you bring up the drama
 
This is bullshizzle, IMO. The ECG reader is no different in my eye as the built in heart rate monitor.

How this has to classify as a medical device is beyond me. It doesn't do anything to affect your body directly, like being hooked up a pacemaker or insulin pump.

This is for end users, not for doctors.
 
I have to imagine there is something Apple can do to unlock the EKG for those cases. I would also venture to say that the amount of people that fall into this boat is extremely small.
I believe Apple provides support only in the country of purchase.
[doublepost=1544134104][/doublepost]
This is bullshizzle, IMO. The ECG reader is no different in my eye as the built in heart rate monitor.

How this has to classify as a medical device is beyond me. It doesn't do anything to affect your body directly, like being hooked up a pacemaker or insulin pump.

This is for end users, not for doctors.
In the US it required clearance from the FDA. This is less than “approval.” That’s why they have all the disclaimers even here. If it were a true medical device it would need full FDA approval. It may be a similar situation in Canada and other countries.
 
They probably will not unlock these watches - if they do care about these cases they will more likely replace them. If not, people will have to wait until the watch gets approval in the country of purchase. My guess is, that in most countries these approvals will come in Q1 next year.

My guess is it will be like Apple Pay Cash, i.e. no sign of it in any other country, ever.
 
the smart thing would be provide full refund for early adaptors of people outside of US if they bring this issue up...

but this is Apple. they won't do anything until there is a few lawsuits pending.
 
the smart thing would be provide full refund for early adaptors of people outside of US if they bring this issue up...

but this is Apple. they won't do anything until there is a few lawsuits pending.
A week or so ago MacRumors leaked details about a silent 45-day return period for those who complain about the ECG.
 
Nothing to do with Tim. Selling an unapproved medical device is a serious crime in nearly all countries. For example, an unlimited fine and 6 months jail in the UK.
So don’t call it a medical device, just as they aren’t calling it in the US either. What, you think anything and everything that potentially benefits ones health requires years long approval processes?
 
I love how they don't mind advertising it abroad though. In Switzerland the have it on their page without even mentioning it's not active...
 
This is bullshizzle, IMO. The ECG reader is no different in my eye as the built in heart rate monitor.

How this has to classify as a medical device is beyond me. It doesn't do anything to affect your body directly, like being hooked up a pacemaker or insulin pump.

This is for end users, not for doctors.

Tell all of that to your regulators. Im sure if Apple could have released it world wide without needing governments approval they would have.
 
"That's not the case with the the ECG app on the Apple Watch Series 4, though, as it only functions on models purchased in the United States"

So this begs the question: can I just buy a series 4 while in the U.S. (I'm Canada based), bring it home and enjoy the feature? We used to do this with the original iPhone before Canada got them and have done so with lots of tech stuff in the past. If the unit itself is a U.S. model and I set my region to the U.S., which I have already done to get the Apple News App, will I be able to use the ECG feature? Might have to investigate this one with a trip south!
Please post the results of your investigation. Many others (myself included) want to know the answer too.

BTW, I've asked Health Canada on twitter about how long it would take them to approve ECG functionality of AW4 in Canada.
This was in mid September, just after the new Watch was announced. They said at the time that they have not received an application from Apple yet but the approval can be as quick as 15 days. Apple has since started working with them by what I've read in the media but it's been a lot longer than 15 days and nothing has happened yet. :(
 
  • Like
Reactions: aldanger99
Ok.... for me the main feature to purchase Series 4 is gone. Series 3 continues to be the smart choice.
 
You can SAY that; but it doesn't make it so.

No lies. Full disclosure. Some people just don't pay attention...
I was under the impression that they said that feature will be available to people who live in US, not specifically that the watch needed to be purchased in the US. If they said that the watch had to be purchased in the US, then there's no wiggle room of course.
 
2 things annoy me about the US only part. Let me first say, I knew this all along so I like everybody else were aware when we bought.
1/ Looking at Apples history, the rest of the world very likely won’t be using this feature with their current series 4. We will likely all have series 5/6 by the time we get this feature. Annoying marketing by Apple.
2/ Not sure why the rest of the world can’t use it by agreeing to a few questions before it is enabled to say we can’t rely on it and it won’t be taken as any indication of accurate heart conditions. It’s almost what Apple are actually saying in the US, even though it is FDA approved. Crazy
 
2 things annoy me about the US only part. Let me first say, I knew this all along so I like everybody else were aware when we bought.
1/ Looking at Apples history, the rest of the world very likely won’t be using this feature with their current series 4. We will likely all have series 5/6 by the time we get this feature. Annoying marketing by Apple.
2/ Not sure why the rest of the world can’t use it by agreeing to a few questions before it is enabled to say we can’t rely on it and it won’t be taken as any indication of accurate heart conditions. It’s almost what Apple are actually saying in the US, even though it is FDA approved. Crazy

Because your governments don’t allow that, contact them, not MR or Apple. Apple has made the technology available except where prohibited.

I would suspect if EU wants a slice of Apple pie, they will be waiting long...
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.