watchOS 8.3 and iOS 15.2 Release Candidates Enable Apple Watch ECG in China

[MacRumors]

The watchOS 8.3 and iOS 15.2 release candidates, released to developers this week, enables ECG functionality for Apple Watch users in China following regulatory approval for the feature over the summer, according to ITHome.

ECG capabilities, available with the Apple Watch Series 4 and later, allow users to quickly take an ECG by simply placing their finger on the Digital Crown and staying still for 30 seconds. Before the feature launches in countries, Apple must retain regulatory approval from the country's respective and appropriate authorities. The feature first launched in the U.S. in 2018 with the Apple Watch Series 4, following FDA approval.

watchOS 8.3 and iOS 15.2 are currently available to developers and public beta testers and can be expected to be launched publicly in the near future. iOS 15.2 includes several new features, including a redesigned Notification Summary, the Apple Music Voice Plan, Legacy Contacts, and more.



Article Link: watchOS 8.3 and iOS 15.2 Release Candidates Enable Apple Watch ECG in China

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

That’s a great addition. Glad, China is able to use the feature finally. Can’t wait till the release is out to Public. 👏

 

[iZac]

Only took three years ? Also annoyingly foreigners are still unable to use eSIMs so my cellular S5 is still just an expensive red ring.

 

[chucker23n1]

Strange that they're hardcoding these regions into the OS, rather than having a separate mechanism to decide who gets to use the feature. I guess it's not a huge deal, but rolling out an entire OS upgrade just to add

public bool IsEcgAvailable
{
    switch (user.Region)
    {
        case China: // new in 8.3
            return true;
        default:
            return false;
    }
}

seems a bit much.

 

[headlessmike]

Only took three years ? Also annoyingly foreigners are still unable to use eSIMs so my cellular S5 is still just an expensive red ring.

The cellular watches work in many different countries. Or am I missing something?

 

[tridley68]

How convenient that China gets it before everyone else. Greasing Cooks palm

 

[BeefCake 15]

Strange that they're hardcoding these regions into the OS, rather than having a separate mechanism to decide who gets to use the feature. I guess it's not a huge deal, but rolling out an entire OS upgrade just to add

public bool IsEcgAvailable
{
    switch (user.Region)
    {
        case China: // new in 8.3
            return true;
        default:
            return false;
    }
}

seems a bit much.

One guess is it might be a medical device requirement.

 

[chucker23n1]

One guess is it might be a medical device requirement.

To have it approved per-region, yes, but to do so in a software update? Why not have a server somewhere that answers "I'm in region x requests" with "OK, you're in"?

 

[0924487]

Only took three years 🧐 Also annoyingly foreigners are still unable to use eSIMs so my cellular S5 is still just an expensive red ring.

You can if you buy a local SIM and join a post-paid plan for your phone ano add your Watch to it. Same with Chinese people living temporarily in Canada, etc.

A China’s cell network is an important part of personal identification system, online and offline. You need to provide ID or passport in order to get a number. It links to your real identity.

 

[0924487]

To have it approved per-region, yes, but to do so in a software update? Why not have a server somewhere that answers "I'm in region x requests" with "OK, you're in"?

It’s because it’s regulated as a medical device. It’s if you have the right to sell a product in a region that matters, not if you have devices operating in the region. This is different from radio frequency band license. Even if it’s not approved, you can buy one in the US and use it in China, and it will be legal, but unrecognized.

Same with people, you can be given a degree in the US but for some reason your degree didn’t meet the requirements of an equivalent degree in China, so it would be unrecognized in China, but it’s still legal for you to have the unrecognized degree in China. It will just be useless.

 

[0924487]

Strange that they're hardcoding these regions into the OS, rather than having a separate mechanism to decide who gets to use the feature. I guess it's not a huge deal, but rolling out an entire OS upgrade just to add

public bool IsEcgAvailable
{
    switch (user.Region)
    {
        case China: // new in 8.3
            return true;
        default:
            return false;
    }
}

seems a bit much.

Is that the actual code? That’s kinda cute 🥰

 

[0924487]

The cellular watches work in many different countries. Or am I missing something?

No, Apple Watches only work in the region or zone you buy it in. For example, Canadian Apple Watches only work in Canada, and Mainland China Apple Watches only work in Mainland China.

 

[chucker23n1]

It’s because it’s regulated as a medical device.

Again, I wasn't asking why it gets approved per-country. I was asking why such approvals require an entire OS upgrade.

 

[galdorvardamir]

You can if you buy a local SIM and join a post-paid plan for your phone ano add your Watch to it. Same with Chinese people living temporarily in Canada, etc.

A China’s cell network is an important part of personal identification system, online and offline. You need to provide ID or passport in order to get a number. It links to your real identity.

Nope you cannot in mainland China. You need to be Chinese citizen for being able to activate esim on Apple Watch. I was in Apple Store recently they said China Unicom started activating esim with passport when you go the the main office but cannot confirm. Telecom and Mobile currently impossible for sure.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

To have it approved per-region, yes, but to do so in a software update? Why not have a server somewhere that answers "I'm in region x requests" with "OK, you're in"?

So the device has to constantly ping the server until it has permission to enable it? That could take a lot from battery life over time and introduce many more issues just for one on/off toggle.

 

[chucker23n1]

So the device has to constantly ping the server until it has permission to enable it? That could take a lot from battery life over time and introduce many more issues just for one on/off toggle.

Not constantly, no. Apple’s OSes do have other update mechanisms that ping at a regular interval, such as XProtect.

 

[nicolas17]

So the device has to constantly ping the server until it has permission to enable it? That could take a lot from battery life over time and introduce many more issues just for one on/off toggle.

There's a dozen features that already work that way. Even the keyboard autocorrect database / language model gets updated independently from the OS, silently, in the background. The iPhone probably only checks for updates to that once a day.

Actually there's already a watchOS updateable asset called com.apple.MobileAsset.HealthKit.FeatureAvailability, why aren't they putting ECG regions there instead of needing a new OS version? :/ (I didn't check what is in that asset)

 

[0924487]

Again, I wasn't asking why it gets approved per-country. I was asking why such approvals require an entire OS upgrade.

It’s an OS feature, and why not? You need to pus security updates too. Just unlock it in the next release.

 

[0924487]

Nope you cannot in mainland China. You need to be Chinese citizen for being able to activate esim on Apple Watch. I was in Apple Store recently they said China Unicom started activating esim with passport when you go the the main office but cannot confirm. Telecom and Mobile currently impossible for sure.

It’s those scam callers. They are purging those scam operations. They are mostly in SE Asia. Most of them use passports to activate bank accounts and SIM cards. eSIM is very difficult to regulate.

But if your company or Chinese wife help you to activate using their ID or company account then it’s okay. It’s illegal for friends to help you. It has to be immediate family members.

If you have Chinese PR, then it works automatically because you will be given an PR car which is almost identical to the ID card, and with a normal 18 digit ID number.

 

[chucker23n1]

Actually there's already a watchOS updateable asset called com.apple.MobileAsset.HealthKit.FeatureAvailability, why aren't they putting ECG regions there instead of needing a new OS version? :/ (I didn't check what is in that asset)

Yeah, it's an odd choice, I think.

 

[svish]

Good to know that more people would be able to access this functionality.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

There's a dozen features that already work that way. Even the keyboard autocorrect database / language model gets updated independently from the OS, silently, in the background. The iPhone probably only checks for updates to that once a day.

Actually there's already a watchOS updateable asset called com.apple.MobileAsset.HealthKit.FeatureAvailability, why aren't they putting ECG regions there instead of needing a new OS version? :/ (I didn't check what is in that asset)

I think a feature availability toggle is a little different from a autocorrect database which is updated regularly. There could also be regulatory issues where some region specific code needs to be in place before such a feature can be activated, which negates the usefulness of pinging Apple for an on toggle.

 

[ds2000]

8.3 is preventing watches on charge mats from charging for more than 5 minutes. Big thread on Apple.com about it, do not update