Apple released watchOS 5.2. bringing ECG functionality to much of Europe

Apple released watchOS 5.2 to all users with a compatible watch tonight. After more than two months, users got an update that finally brings some interesting and long-awaited news.

First of all, of course, this is the ECG measurement function, which Apple presented last September as one of the most fundamental, if not the most fundamental, innovation of the current Apple Watch generation. ECG monitoring was previously only available in the US, since the release of watchOS 5.2, every user from a list of selected countries in Europe and Hong Kong can measure heart activity. The possibility of EKG measurement is also linked to the availability of the function for reporting an irregular heart cycle within notifications.

The European countries where this feature is available as of today are the following: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Great Britain. Unfortunately, it did not reach the Czech Republic, i.e. Slovakia, and we still have to wait for the certification of the service by the relevant regulatory authorities.

WatchOS 5.2 Official Gallery:

Gallery

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ECG-app_Apple-watch-Afib-IT-IT_screen_032719

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Along with expanded ECG support, the new watchOS also includes support for the newly sold 2nd generation AirPods, support for Apple News+, new watch faces for select Apple Watch models, and of course bug fixes and system optimizations.

The watchOS 5.2 update is less than 500MB in size and can be downloaded via the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, under the General tab and Software Update.

Discussion of the article

[jeenik]

And does anyone have an AW bought in Germany? Does the ECG work or is it really according to the GPS location? I have an AW from the US and I am afraid that I will lose the EKG by upgrading.

[Miso]

Again, nothing sk/cz, apple should come to its senses!

[Michal Svoboda]

Apple is not to blame, but the issuance of certification from CZE and SK for Apple.

[Martin Topinka]

I remember those Apple enthusiasts who translated the entire system, I think it was Puma, into Czech for free and sent it to Apple, who then built it into the system. Now there is probably some legislation involved, or Apple has found out that the Czechs are largely a nation of hypochondriacs who love visiting doctors in hospitals, and are afraid to launch it here. It can hardly be fixed on the GPS, can't you measure the EKG on the way?

[jeenik]

Well, it is probably dependent on the GPS location during activation... someone already wrote that they activated it in Germany and it works here too.