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South Korean Galaxy Watch Active 2 units finally get the firmware update that turns ECGs on

At last, a Galaxy Watch Active 2 ECG. (Source: TizenHelp)
At last, a Galaxy Watch Active 2 ECG. (Source: TizenHelp)
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 was marketed as a device that would be capable of generating electrocardiograms (ECGs) for advanced health-tracking purposes. Now - almost exactly one year after its launch - the OEM has activated this function. However, it still only works for units sold in their own home market.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch Active 2 with high hopes of its challenging the Apple Watch series with next-gen heart health-monitoring features such as ECG-tracking. However, the OEM apparently failed to account for regulatory roadblocks that would delay this function's activation for months on end. In fact, it only secured approval for the technology's use in South Korea in May 2020.

Now, - nearly 3 months after that, and 12 months after the wearable's launch - Samsung has reportedly issued the firmware update necessary to implement its ECG sensor in the same market. It requires that the user download and open the OEM's Health Monitor app on the Watch Active 2 and on a paired smartphone in order to visualize this data.

The ECG section of this app may also detect and report on the onset of atrial fibrillation, which is apparently based on spikes in the user's heart rate. Otherwise, under normal conditions, it will report the graph as a cardiac sinus rhythm.

Despite this more or less applicable medical terminology, Samsung advises that this data and its analysis is not necessarily of a clinical grade, and thus should not be taken as such. Nevertheless, it may be useful in day-to-day life, and perhaps to take along to the doctor on regular check-ups.

The newly-launched Galaxy Watch3 is also slated to ship with this function out of the box in South Korea only. This device went on sale yesterday (August 6, 2020) and starts for the equivalent of US$399.

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A Galaxy Note 20 device demos the new ECG function. (Source: TizenHelp)
A Galaxy Note 20 device demos the new ECG function. (Source: TizenHelp)

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2020 08 > South Korean Galaxy Watch Active 2 units finally get the firmware update that turns ECGs on
Deirdre O'Donnell, 2020-08- 7 (Update: 2020-08- 8)