Tech

The Apple Watch now has its first FDA-approved medical accessory

Key Points
  • AliveCor's KardiaBand allows Apple Watch wearers to check their heart activity with an embedded sensor.
  • The band starts at $199 and requires a yearly subscription of $99 for the monitoring services, the company said.
  • Apple has said its seen rapid growth in watch sales in recent months.
AliveCor's Apple Watch band gets FDA clearance
VIDEO4:5704:57
AliveCor's Apple Watch band gets FDA clearance

The FDA has approved an EKG monitor as an accessory for the Apple Watch — the first certified medical device for the increasingly popular wearable, medical tech company AliveCor announced Thursday.

AliveCor's KardiaBand allows Apple Watch wearers to check their heart activity with an embedded sensor, flagging abnormal heart rhythms that could indicate a serious health issue.

The band starts at $199 and requires a yearly subscription of $99 for the monitoring services, the company said.

Apple has said it's seen rapid growth in watch sales in recent months, boosted by the addition of cellular service that allows the watch to be a stand-alone product, untethered from the iPhone.

The company has tapped the watch as a key to its growing commitment to health tech.

Source: AliveCor