Apple might still be untangling its approach to blood oxygen sensing on the Apple Watch, but in the meantime, Samsung has cleared a major health data hurdle by introducing blood pressure sensing to Galaxy Watch users in the United States. After years of waiting for regulatory clearances, Samsung announced on Tuesday that US-based users can now track their blood pressure through the Samsung Health Monitor app.
Users need a Galaxy Watch 4 or newer, a compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, and the Samsung Health Monitor app to activate blood pressure measurements. They also need a traditional cuff monitor for regular calibrations, which the app requests every 28 days to ensure reliable readings.
Samsung says the wearable does not replace a medical‑grade blood pressure monitor or guidance from a medical professional; instead, people should treat it as a tracking and awareness tool.
Samsung first introduced blood pressure tracking on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 in 2020, but the feature was restricted to markets outside of the US. With blood pressure tracking now live, Samsung could refocus the public’s attention on its wearables’ health tracking features in a market where Apple is still struggling.
