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Apple Watch Series 4 is the first FDA-cleared retail ECG device, bless its heart

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By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Sep 12, 2018, 2:29 PM

Say what you will about Apple pumping the price of its Watch Series 4 to $499 for the model with cellular connectivity, but there is one defining new feature that might soothe the heartache you got from the sticker shock, literally.

Yes, we are talking about the long-rumored electrocardiogram (ECG) functionality. By building medical-grade electrodes on the new ceramic-sapphire back of the Series 4, Apple managed to produce the first retail ECG wearable you can grab from a store near you. It's pretty amazing that Apple managed to get this thing cleared by the FDA, given the rigorous testing and certification phase a medical device has to go through in the US.

The FDA green light also means that you can be sure you will get an ECG as precise and useful to decipher, as a machine your heart doctor would like to read results from. To top it all off, Apple has provided apps that can read the hints your Apple Watch ECG contains, and can also warn you if your heart rate is too low, too high, or abnormal for one reason or another. Bazinga!

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.