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Samsung’s latest and old Galaxy Watch models will be getting this update
Samsung Galaxy Watches offer a slew of health features via the Health app but now the brand is rivaling Apple with its own Afib alert tech
Samsung is raising the stakes of its wearable lineup in the Indian market this week. The company has confirmed that the irregular heart rhythm notification or IHRN feature will be available on all its Galaxy Watch models available in India.
So what does the new health feature bring to the smartwatch? According to the company, the new feature, combined with the app’s existing blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring capabilities, helps detect heart rhythms suggestive of atrial fibrillation (AFib). These features have been available on Apple Watch for a few years and Samsung is offering Galaxy watch users a more comprehensive understanding of their heart health.
Samsung IHRN Feature On Galaxy Watches – How It Works
When you activate the IHRN feature, it continuously checks for irregular heart rhythms in the background using the ‘BioActive Sensor’. If a certain number of consecutive measurements are irregular, the smartwatch warns the user of potential AFib activity, prompting them to take an ECG using their watch for a more accurate measurement.
“With the existing blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, this new feature provides users with even deeper insights into their cardiovascular health,” said the company.
Most cases of AFib are asymptomatic or even silent, leaving people unaware of their risk and Samsung is helping them get a better reading of such cases.
The company said the notification feature is now available with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch 7 and along with them on the Galaxy Watch 6, Watch 5 and Watch 4 series as well.
The biggest catch with the new health feature is that you will need a Samsung Galaxy phone to make use of it, because the Samsung Health Monitor app has to be updated through the Galaxy app store and then enable the IHRN features from the settings of the Samsung health app.
Medical experts have highlighted that the dependency on these wearables for accurate health readings is risky, and people should always have medically-certified tools and equipment to monitor their health data.
