- The new OnePlus Watch 3 looks promising, but US users won’t get the same features
- Notably, ECG support won’t be included because it didn’t get FDA approval
- It’s tied into the new “60-Second Health Check-In” feature, which will also be absent
We published our hands on preview for the OnePlus Watch 3, and all early signs point to it being one of the best smartwatches of the year. Sadly, that recommendation might need to come with an asterisk if you’re in the US or Canada: the big-but-beautiful smartwatch will be missing some features, tied to the lack of certification for the ECG (electrocardiogram) sensor from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA certification is considered the ‘gold standard’ for a smartwatch’s health features. The best Apple Watches carry FDA-approved features such as irregular heart rate rhythm notification, authorizing the feature for use in studies and some medical settings. FDA approval is often used as a marketing play, signifying a smartwatch’s health features are accurate and reliable.
“The OnePlus Watch 3 did not receive official certification from the U.S. FDA on its ECS capabilities, the ECG Analyzer feature on the OnePlus Watch 3 will not be available to users in the United States or Canada,” a statement from the manufacturer explained to Android Authority.
OnePlus Watch 3 missing features in US and Canada
As we mentioned in our preview, one of the biggest new features is the 60-second health check in, which includes a variety of measurements taken all at once, including an ECG. Its absence means that two of the new flagship features, the ECG and the 60-second health check-in, won’t be available – at least at launch.
It’s not the first time a device has had problems with features at launch. Even Apple is not immune: most recently, Apple’s blood oxygen monitoring technology infringed on health tech firm Masimo’s patent, and the feature was removed via a software update. We’re still waiting for them to return — it’s in there, it’s just deactivated until the disagreement can be hashed out.
There’s every chance OnePlus gets the FDA ‘thumbs up’ in future, but for now it’s something to be aware of.
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