AliveCor has ended sales of KardiaBand, its FDA-cleared ECG wristband designed for use with Apple Watches, reports MobiHealthNews.
The company stopped selling the device in June and has pulled the device from its Amazon vendor profile as well, according to MobiHealthNews.
Read more Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 Will Come in 3 Models and ECG
“In 2017, we were proud to launch the first FDA-cleared accessory for the Apple Watch,” AliveCor told the website. “Since then, we’ve focused on expanding capabilities within our KardiaMobile products and recently announced KardiaMobile 6L, the first of its kind six-lead mobile ECG. We’re committed to empowering customers with deeper knowledge about their heart health while continuing to innovate new technologies and capabilities.”
However, according to MobiHealthNews, the company told the publication that it “plans to continue supporting KardiaBand indefinitely” for those who have already purchased the device.
The ECG-equipped KardiaBand for Apple Watch was first unveiled in March 2016. The thin wristband designed specifically for the Apple Watch, returns single-lead ECG readings and diagnostics that can be viewed through its app and sent to managing physicians. The FDA cleared the device for use in the Apple Watch in November 2017.
“Despite transitioning away from KardiaBand, we still very much believe that wearables have value in healthcare and continue to look for ways to be innovative in this space,” AliveCor told MobiHealthNews. “We’re excited about investing in new classes of wearables and giving customers new ways to interact with their health data.”
Read more Maxim MAX86150: The First Ever Integrated PPG and ECG Biosensor Module for Wearables
Apple’s own on-board ECG functionality went live in December and has been steadily releasing in new countries and regions over the course of 2019. To take an EKG, the user must press their finger to the watch’s digital crown where the sensors on the underside of the watch will perform the EKG test in about 30 seconds.
