Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, Active 2 can now take ECG readings from your wrist

Ben Schoon | Sep 23 2020 - 10:00 am PT

Following the Apple Watch a couple of years ago, the ability to take an ECG reading from a smartwatch has been a sort of “holy grail” for health features. Samsung’s past two smartwatch releases, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and Galaxy Watch 3, have had the hardware needed for ECG, and today, they’re finally getting the software to take advantage of it.

Samsung is officially rolling out its ECG Monitor to Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 owners starting today. ECG Monitor will be a part of the Samsung Health Monitor app. Notably, Samsung has been waiting for approval on this feature since August 2019.

Beginning September 23, users will have access to yet another next-generation feature, as on-demand electrocardiogram (ECG) readings come to Galaxy Watch3 and Galaxy Watch Active2.
This tool recently received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and will soon be available through the Samsung Health Monitor app when connected to a compatible Galaxy smartphone. The new ECG Monitor app allows users to monitor their heart rhythm for irregularities, scanning for signs of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib).

To take an ECG reading, Samsung says that users will need to “take a seat,” tighten their watch to their wrists, and rest their arm on a flat surface.

At that point, the reading will be taken and classified as either Sinus Rhythm or Afib. Users will be able add relevant details such as fatigue or dizziness and, after the reading is complete, share a PDF of the results with their health care provider.