Samsung has today announced that the Galaxy Watch3 smartwatch as well as its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch Active2, have finally received the US FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration approval for taking Electrocardiogram (ECG) readings in the US. To recall, both the smartwatches already come equipped with the electrical heart rate sensors for ECG monitoring, but they weren’t marketed as such in the US market pending FDA approval. Now that Samsung has finally got the green signal, the company has released the Samsung Health Monitor companion app for users in the US to take ECG measurement. 

“To use the ECG Monitor app, simply take a seat, open up the new Samsung Health Monitor app, and ensure your watch is snug your wrist. Rest your arm on a flat surface, place your fingertip on the top button, and your watch will record an ECG and classify it as either Sinus Rhythm, or AFib,” Samsung explained in its press release. To take ECG reading, users have to install the companion app on a “compatible Galaxy smartphone.” It appears that Samsung is keeping the feature exclusive to its own line-up of smartphones when paired with the Galaxy Watch3 or Watch Active2. 

ECG can prove to be a life-saving feature for people with heart conditions as it detects irregular heart rate rhythm for signs of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), a leading cause of stroke. Once users take their ECG reading, the Samsung Health Monitor app will also let them share a PDF report with their doctor or a concerned individual. To recall, Samsung got the approval for ECG monitoring on the aforementioned smartwatches in South Korea back in May, while its blood pressure monitoring capability was approved a month earlier. Additionally, Galaxy Watch3 can also detect the saturation level of oxygen in their blood, a feature that also made its debut on the Apple Watch Series 6