Samsung gets approval for Galaxy Watch Active 2's ECG, but only in Korea
It may be a while before you can check for an irregular heartbeat.
The ECG sensor on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has gone unused for the better part of a year, but it’s finally close to fulfilling its original purpose... in one country, anyway. Samsung has received approval to use the ECG feature for measuring heart rhythms from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Much like on newer Apple Watch models, you just need to launch an app (Samsung Health Monitor, in this case) and put your finger on a button for long enough to get a one-lead ECG reading. From there, your watch can warn if there are signs of atrial fibrillation and encourage you to see a doctor for a full diagnosis.
Samsung also received clearance to conduct blood pressure measurements through the Health Monitor app, potentially providing a clearer picture of your well-being than an ECG alone.
The catch, as before, is the wait. Samsung only expects to release the Health Monitor app for the Active 2 sometime during the third quarter of the year. It also can’t make the ECG feature available in other countries until it receives approval from relevant government agencies. You could be waiting a while longer to use the feature in your part of the world. Future Galaxy Watches will have the app as well, mind you, and this is one of the few opportunities to run ECG tests on an Android-friendly smartwatch.
