Canada Approves watchOS 9's AFib History Feature

AFib History, one of watchOS 9's new health features, this week received regulatory approval in Canada, seemingly making it the first country to do so outside the United States ahead of the release of watchOS 9 later this year.

watchos 9 afib history
AFib History allows individuals diagnosed with atrial fibrillation to view an estimate of how frequently their heart is in this type of arrhythmia, according to Apple. The feature is intended for individuals aged 22 years or older who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

Health Canada yesterday approved the AFib History for both the Apple Watch and the iPhone, regulatory filings show. Canada appears to be the second country to approve the new feature after the United States, where it received FDA clearance after being validated in a clinical study. Last month, Apple said the average difference in weekly measurements between the Apple Watch and an FDA-cleared reference device was less than one percent.

The AFib History feature could prove useful when a patient receives an ablation treatment for chronic atrial fibrillation, but the treatment is unsuccessful at first attempt and the patient continues to experience atrial fibrillation.

Upon previewing watchOS 9, Apple said that AFib History is not currently approved in all countries or regions, so availability of the feature will likely be limited at launch. That being said, there is still time for other regulatory authorities to approve AFib History before the official release of watchOS 9 later this year.

Thanks, Jen!

Tag: Canada
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
General Black Friday Deals 24 Green Tinsel

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More

Friday November 22, 2024 5:28 am PST by
We're officially just one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 29 in 2024. As always, this week is the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
15 inch m3 macbook air

Amazon Takes Up to $300 Off M3 MacBook Air With New All-Time Low Prices

Wednesday November 20, 2024 7:05 am PST by
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...

Top Rated Comments

TVreporter Avatar
30 months ago
Just in time for the heart attacks that will follow when Apple announces the Canadian prices of the next iPhones and iMacs.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
30 months ago

Very pathetic ways of thinking. How sad. Attempts to save lives gets turned into the usual Apple hate and cynicism. Atrial fib can cause thrombus to form in the left atrium which can then break loose, travel to the left ventrical, out the aorta, up the carotid arteries, causing a huge stroke and a life of misery, if you survive. Hard to believe people like to joke about this. Actually, it's not hard to believe anymore.
I can't speak for the other poster you quoted but mine was in obvious jest. I praised the feature. Perhaps stop seeking out opportunities to be outraged.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
30 months ago
Awesome feature that will help a lot of people manage their heart health. Apple benefits as well because facilitating health and longevity guarantees your customers will stay alive to buy more of your products ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
30 months ago
Very cool to see that Apple is working to get additional health features approved.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sir_Macs_A_Lot Avatar
30 months ago
Apple has come a long way in providing Health related apps on the Watch that are very useful. Don't stop now. I can see reliable blood sugar monitoring just over the horizon.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
30 months ago
Holy crap its a miracle we'll get a launch day feature thats typically reserved for USA.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)