If you own a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, then you might want to keep your eyes peeled for an incoming feature update which adds a very useful function to the device. Samsung recently announced that it would be bringing over Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) functionality to select Galaxy Watch wearables, following FDA clearance for the feature. The IHRN will be accessible through Samsung’s Health Monitor app, and will be able to proactively monitor heart rhythms suggestive of atrial fibrillation (AFib).
The feature will provide users with a much-needed method to detect potential heart issues, all from the convenience of their wrist. Hon Pak, Vice President and Head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics states:
“We’re excited to announce that Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification, designed to help millions of people around the world who may not be aware of a potential heart risk, has been cleared by the FDA. This is yet another example of how Samsung prioritizes proactive safety solutions and enables users to receive a more holistic understanding of their cardiovascular and overall health.”
The IHRN will join other Samsung health-tracking features such as the BioActive Sensor, including on-demand ECG recording and HR Alert function that detects abnormally high or low heart rates. It should be noted that the feature needs to be activated via the Samsung Health Monitor app, and will then check for irregular heart rhythms in the background using the Galaxy Watch’s BioActive Sensor. If IHRN detects a certain number of consecutive irregular measurements, the device will then send out a warning for users, and will prompt them to take an ECG reading on their watch.
Just a few weeks ago, Samsung introduced Temperature-Based Cycle Tracking for the Watch 5 models, meaning that the Galaxy Watch 5 will be able to use skin temperature measurements to its existing calendar-based Cycle Tracking functionality, which helps users keep track of their monthly periods. Samsung says that the new feature will soon be accessible to Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro users in Q2 of this year. The feature will come to several countries including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the US and the UK sometime in Q2 this year.
Going back to the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification function, the feature will come as part of Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch, which will start rolling out for compatible devices this year.
