[Edaily Reporter Han Kwangbeom ] SamsungElectronics(005930)’s smartwatch, the “Galaxy Watch,” is evolving into a wrist-worn healthcare device that helps prevent and manage serious heart conditions through irregular heart rhythm alerts and various vital sign monitoring features.
SamsungElectronics held a media briefing on the 9th to unveil advanced heart health management technology that helps with the early detection and prevention of serious heart conditions, such as stroke and myocardial infarction, using the Galaxy Watch and the Samsung Health app. Choi Jong-min, Senior Vice President of the Digital Health Team at SamsungElectronics’ MX Business Division, explained, “Heart disease—the leading cause of death worldwide and the second leading cause of death in Korea—is often already too late by the time a patient goes to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment,” adding, “This is why preventive healthcare that enables proactive response is of the utmost importance.”
SamsungElectronics emphasized that, in observance of “World Heart Day” on September 29—designated by the World Heart Federation (WHF)—the Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health support users in detecting subtle physical changes early through continuous monitoring and taking immediate action. Executive Vice President Choi emphasized, “By wearing a wearable device 24 hours a day to monitor the heart, algorithms can detect changes in physical patterns, and the personalized insights generated from this lead to healthier habits.”
SamsungElectronics has been advancing health monitoring technology for everyday use since 2014, when it first incorporated a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor into the Galaxy S5, Gear 2, and Gear Fit. In 2020, the company received medical device approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement apps, and in 2021, it set a new standard for wrist-based healthcare by incorporating the “BioActive Sensor”—which integrates optical heart rate, ECG, and bioelectrical impedance (BIA) sensors into a single chipset—into the Galaxy Watch4. Recalling the early days of sensor integration, Executive Vice President Choi shared a behind-the-scenes story: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were instances where users in quarantine used the sensors on their Galaxy smartphones and watches to measure their oxygen saturation levels and monitor their respiratory status.”
Subsequently, in 2023, the company obtained approval from the U.S. FDA and the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for the “Irregular Heart Rhythm Alert” feature, which detects the possibility of atrial fibrillation. There have been a series of life-saving cases, such as one in Jordan where atherosclerosis was detected early through the Irregular Heart Rhythm Alert, leading to medical intervention, and another in Brazil where a user narrowly avoided a heart attack thanks to repeated ECG alerts. Executive Vice President Choi said, “I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment when I hear about cases like a doctor who quickly responded by checking the heart rate and oxygen saturation of a patient who lost consciousness on an airplane after fitting them with a Galaxy Watch, or when users send me emails directly saying they saved a life by not missing the golden hour.”
◇Expanding from 24-Hour Biometric Data Tracking to “Family Health Connected Care”
Samsung Health analyzes the biometric signals collected by the Galaxy Watch 24 hours a day to provide personalized guidance. The “Heart Health Score” feature, available on the latest Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Watch 9, comprehensively analyzes data on sleep, activity levels, vascular stress, and body composition based on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) “Life’s Essential 8” indicators and assigns a score. If vascular stress is high, it recommends a low-sodium diet focused on whole grains. The “Vital Signs” feature precisely tracks five metrics during sleep—heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen saturation—and sends immediate notifications when changes deviating from normal baseline values are detected.
“Connected Care,” which helps ensure the safety of family members, has also been enhanced. By linking a Samsung account and adding family profiles, users can share selected health data—such as steps, sleep, blood pressure, and heart rate—with one another. Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, this allows children to monitor changes in their parents’ vital signs, proactively check on their well-being, or guide them to seek medical care. The accumulated data can also be used as reference material during consultations with medical professionals.
SamsungElectronics also highlighted the synergy between “non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)”—considered a key challenge for the future of smart healthcare—and the new wearable form factor, the “Galaxy Ring.” Regarding the continuous glucose monitoring feature—which users are most eager to see—Executive Vice President Choi stated, “We are pursuing a multifaceted approach that includes global technology exploration, in-house research, and collaboration with external startups (POC),” adding, “Since non-invasive blood glucose measurement is an extremely challenging field, we are continuously concentrating our technological capabilities to enhance its reliability.”
Furthermore, regarding the diversification of form factors, he explained, “The Galaxy Ring is a lifestyle device that offers high convenience during sleep or everyday wear, and when worn alongside the Galaxy Watch, sensor measurement accuracy is significantly improved.” He added, “Based on connectivity between devices—such as the watch and ring, and further extending to smartphones and Buds—we will continue to realize an even more advanced, personalized AI healthcare environment.”
Executive Vice President Choi added, “By combining the advanced sensor technology of the Galaxy Watch with the analytical capabilities of Samsung Health, we are helping users proactively prevent cardiovascular health risks in their daily lives,” and stated, “We will continue to introduce prevention-focused smart healthcare services in the future.”
