Samsung's Galaxy Watches will soon get a most sought-after feature.
The popular tech giant recently announced that its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) would be available to Galaxy Watch users in the US and 12 other countries.
The notification was previously available on the Samsung Health Monitor app, requiring those who want their heart rate to be monitored with Samsung's tech to get the app.
Samsung Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification Coverage Details
Samsung mentioned in its announcement that its Galaxy Watch users in the US and 12 other countries would soon receive IHRNs starting this summer.
According to the company, the feature's addition is part of the new One UI 5 Watch update, which it announced in early May. When combined with the Health Monitor app's Blood pressure and Electrocardiogram monitoring, the IHRN can detect heart rhythms suggestive of atrial fibrillation (AFib), helping Galaxy Watch users understand their heart health more comprehensively.
The feature can also check for irregular heart rhythms in the background to alert Galaxy Watch users of potential AFib activity, providing them with "even deeper insights into their cardiovascular health."
However, Samsung advises people that its IHRN feature is not intended for providing a notification on every episode of irregular rhythm suggestive of AFib. Similarly, the absence of notifications doesn't mean that a disease process wasn't present, nor is the feature meant for users with other known arrhythmias.
Samsung received approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to launch the app in its home country of South Korea following the US FDA's recent clearance. As such, the feature will soon be available in the following countries:
- United States
- Argentina
- Azerbaijan
- Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Panama
- UAE
- Korea
Samsung already made the feature available to 74 other countries before it expanded its coverage to the 13 countries previously listed. These countries include most of the EU, Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and Nicaragua.
Hon Pak, Vice President and Head of Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics, mentioned that Samsung is committed to helping users stay informed about their heart health. He added that the company is "constantly exploring new ways to help Galaxy Watch users obtain deeper insights on their health and wellness effortlessly, day and night."
Samsung Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification Availability Details
Samsung mentioned that the feature would first be available on the upcoming Galaxy Watch devices this year, and it will expand its availability to other Galaxy Watch models later in the foreseeable future, like the Galaxy Watch 5 and the upcoming Galaxy Watch 6.
However, it warned that the feature's availability varies by country, carrier, model, or paid smartphone. As such, the IHRN would only be available on Galaxy Watch 4 series smartwatches and other later models, as part of the new One UI 5 Watch update, as previously mentioned.
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