Following the release of iOS 13.6, Apple today released watchOS 6.2.8 for Apple Watch users. The update adds support for the Car Key feature and it also enables ECG to three more countries.

With Car Key, drivers can replace physical keys with their iPhone. As Apple demonstrated during the WWDC 2020 keynote, you can simply hold your iPhone close to the car’s door handle to unlock it using NFC technology. This feature also works with the Apple Watch Series 5 running watchOS 6.2.8.

watchOS 6.2 also brings the ECG app to three new countries: Bahrain, Brazil, and South Africa. Irregular heart rhythm notifications are also now available in those three countries.

The ECG application allows users to take an electrocardiogram, measuring the electrical pulses of your heart. Irregular heart rate notifications do not require an active ECG to be taken. The watch will analyze heart rate readings continuously in the background and trigger an alert if something seems off.

You can read the full release notes below:

To update your Apple Watch to watchOS 6.2.8, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap General, then Software Update. Apple has also released watchOS 5.3.8 with security updates for users who still have an Apple Watch paired with an iPhone running iOS 12.

watchOS 6.2.8 includes new features and improvements:

  • Adds support for digital car keys for Apple Watch Series 5
  • ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later now available in Bahrain, Brazil, and South Africa
  • Irregular heart rhythm notifications now available in Bahrain, Brazil, and South Africa

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/HT201222