After the technology has been accessible elsewhere for a number of years, Samsung is beginning to offer blood pressure tracking to its smartwatch users in the United States. Users may monitor their heart rate in addition to their systolic and diastolic blood pressure with the update, which is compatible with Galaxy Watch 4 models or later running at least WatchOS 4.0.
The feature requires an additional third-party cuff to monitor baseline blood pressure values and do periodic recalibrations every 28 days, however it does not enable compatible Galaxy Watches to detect blood pressure on their own. When Samsung introduced blood pressure monitoring in South Korea over six years ago, this limitation was also seen.
After years of trying to get it approved by the FDA, it appears that Samsung may now offer blood pressure monitoring capabilities in the US by referring to it as a “wellness feature” rather than a medical one. Fitness tracker manufacturer Whoop used a similar workaround last year.
To utilize the feature, which is compatible with Galaxy phones running Android 12 or later, users of the Galaxy Watch must download the Samsung Health Monitor app. According to Samsung, a new passive monitoring feature that lets users view blood pressure trends over time would be added to the app “later this year.”
According to Samsung’s press release, the US deployment is “phased,” so it might take some time for all eligible Galaxy Watch owners to receive it. However, it’s better late than never, isn’t it?