Apple
AAPL
can now officially launch its much-discussed electrocardiogram (ECG) feature in its Apple Watch in China after it recently
received approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration
, per MacRumors.
Markedly, the ECG test helps a doctor gain insight into a patient’s heart condition. Since the feature is of medical diagnostic nature, it needs approval from the regulators in countries where Apple plans to launch the same.
Hence, China’s approval of the ECG feature removes a major hurdle that has been limiting the adoption of Apple Watch in the country, which is the third biggest country in terms of sales for Apple. Markedly, China accounted for 19.8% of sales in second-quarter fiscal 2021.
Healthcare Features Driving Adoption of Watch
Apple’s endeavor to add healthcare features to its smartwatch has been a game changer for the device that faces significant competition from the likes of
Garmin
GRMN
,
Alphabet
GOOGL
,
Sony
SNE
, Xiaomi, Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies.
Markedly, per Gartner’s
projections
, global user spending on wearable devices will increase 18.1% year over year to $81.5 billion in 2021, driven by strong demand for smartwatches and ear-worn devices. Apple is well poised to tap into this opportunity, thanks to its expanding healthcare features in smartwatch.
Currently, the Apple Watch includes features to monitor heart rate and irregular rhythm. The device notifies users about unusually high or low heart rates. Moreover, irregular rhythm suggests atrial fibrillation (AFib), which the smartwatch can detect with the help of its optical heart sensor.
Moreover, the ECG app is available on Watch Series 4 and later devices. By placing a finger on the Digital Crown for 30 seconds, users can directly measure their electrical heart activity. Additionally, Apple Watch’s updated ECG app with additional rhythm classification has received clearance for users of 22 years or older.
Further, with Apple Watch 6, the company introduced a Blood Oxygen app that can measure one’s blood oxygen level.
watchOS 8 to Bring New Capabilities
Apple recently showcased watchOS 8 that promises new exciting features including updates to Wallet and Home apps. Moreover, Apple continued to focus on adding healthcare features by introducing Tai Chi and Pilates workout types.
Further, Apple reintroduced the Breathe app as Mindfulness app that now features an enhanced Breathe experience, in addition to a new session type, Reflect.
Moreover, watchOS 8 will help users’ overall health by tracking sleeping respiratory rate, which is the number of breaths per minute while one is asleep.
Further, future models are expected to include body temperature as well as blood sugar sensor. While the body temperature feature is expected to be added to the Watch model for 2022, the blood sugar sensor, which will help users monitor their glucose levels, is not expected to be available in the near term.
Markedly, Apple Watch’s adoption rate continues to grow rapidly. Notably, more than 75% of customers who purchased Apple Watch in the fiscal second quarter were first-time customers. Wearables, Home and Accessories sales increased 24.7% year over year to $7.84 billion and accounted for 8.7% of total sales in second-quarter fiscal 2021.
Currently, Apple has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see
the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here
.
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