Samsung begins rolling out potentially life-saving smartwatch update
Blood pressure monitoring is landing right now
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Samsunghas begun rolling out an update that will add blood pressure monitoring to two of its most recentsmartwatches: theSamsung Galaxy Watch 3andGalaxy Watch Active 2.
Last month we learned that Samsung was preparing a firmware update that would unlock the new feature, and it’s now finding its way onto thousands of wrists around the world. The rollout begins today (February 22) and is expected to take a few weeks to complete, so don’t worry if you haven’t received it just yet.
Applebroke new ground in 2018 when it launched theApple Watch 4with anECG appto detect irregular heart rhythms that could be a sign of cardiovascular disease, and for a while it looked like it would also be the first company to release a smartwatch with blood pressure monitoring, but Samsung has beaten it to the punch.
Last year we learned thatApple had registered a patentdescribing a way to measure blood pressure non-invasively using pressure sensors in the wristband. At the time, we speculated that the feature could appear in the then-unreleasedApple Watch 6, but that proved not to be the case when the device launched a few months later.
Finger on the pulse
ECG apps have now become mainstream, so it’s perhaps about time that Samsung’s latest firmware update will also unlock the ECG sensor in the Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2, which had been disabled pending approval from medical administrations.
This will bring the two Samsung watches into line with devices like theFitbit SenseandWithings Scanwatch, and make them a good budget option for anyone interested in checking their cardiovascular health.
ViaForbes
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Cat is TechRadar’s Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She’s been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she’s a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.
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