Is Samsung Equipping Future Galaxy Watch With ECG Feature?

Now that Samsung has acquired clearance to activate the ECG function on its Galaxy Watch Active 2 wearable, should fans expect the South Korean giant to produce more ECG-equipped smartwatches in the future?

Samsung recently acquired clearance to activate the ECG function on its Apple Watch contender, the Galaxy Watch Active 2. This feature, along with the ability to measure a user's blood pressure, allows Samsung's device to do what Apple's wearable does, but at a cheaper price.

Apple Watch fans know that the base Series 5 model costs $399. This is much higher than the Galaxy Watch Active 2's $279 base price. The price difference, along with easier integration with Android devices, make Samsung's offer very enticing. The addition of the ECG and BP functions makes choosing between the two easier to make.

That said, will Samsung now start producing newer Galaxy Watch models with built-in ECG features? This remains unclear at the moment. What's known right now are the following:

The Galaxy Watch Active 2's ECG function was cleared in South Korea

Earlier reports revealed that South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) cleared the Galaxy Watch Active 2's electrocardiogram feature, effectively giving Samsung the green light to activate the function.

“We’re delighted to announce that the ECG function has been cleared by MFDS,” TaeJong Jay Yang, Corporate SVP and Head of Health Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a press release.

Samsung plans to activate the feature by the third quarter

The South Korean tech giant said it plans to release the Samsung Health Monitor app, which includes the ECG and BP functions, during the third quarter of 2020. Galaxy Watch Active 2 users will need to get the app in order to use the health monitoring functions.

It's unclear if the feature will arrive in the U.S. and E.U. Later this year

Samsung got the approval in South Korea. It's unclear, however, if the company was also able to acquire FDA approval to launch the feature in the U.S. in the third quarter of the year, Patently Apple noted. It's also unclear if Samsung acquired approval to launch the feature in the E.U.