Unpacked 2023: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Will Have This Life-Saving Feature, Just Like Apple Watch; Full Details

JE Technology Desk: Smartwatches have become more than just a medium to keep track of time. It can monitor a wearer's health, track physical activity, help communicate via calls and messages and more. And improving upon the health commitments in Samsung smartwatches, the South Korean giant has announced Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) to its Galaxy Watch.

The new feature, along with Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Blood Pressure monitoring will help track abnormal rhythms in the wearer's heart and allow for deeper insights into health. A Newsroom post from the company states it will be available in the Samsung Health Monitor app in 13 markets starting this summer.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Series To Debut With OneUI 5 Watch OS; Here's What's New

The new functionality will notify users of possible atrial fibrillation (AFib) to better monitor heart health and has already received approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) after a green flag from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Besides ECG, which is an on-demand tracking feature, IHRN will also work in the background.

"Cardiovascular disease remains one of the main causes of death around the world, and we're committed to empowering our users to stay informed about their heart health by providing monitoring tools, including blood pressure measurement and irregular heart rhythm notification," said Hon Pak, VP and Head of Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics.

IHRN will first reach the upcoming Galaxy Watch, which will launch this year. It will have OneUI 5 Watch OS. It will be available on Galaxy Watch4 and later devices, subject to the eligibility of the feature in the country. At the time of filing, India is not marked in the list of countries that will receive the IHRN.

However, a wearer must note these features cannot act as a substitute for medical consultations, Samsung highlights in the post. Samsung Galaxy Watch6 will likely debut at the next Galaxy Unpacked event in July this year. The tech maker could also unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 during the event.

On a different note, we have several instances of smartwatches from Apple saving lives by triggering emergency services or notifying a user on time about their deteriorating health condition. You can read about these instances here.