Furthering this mission, Samsung is raising the bar again and introducing the newest iteration of its BioActive Sensor. Coming to the next Galaxy Watch, the new sensor will enable advanced predictive and preventative wellness features never before seen on a wearable device — in addition to more accurate health measurements.¹

Introducing Samsung’s New BioActive Sensor

The all-new BioActive Sensor is essential to bringing you better preventative health experiences on the next Galaxy Watch, with design improvements that enable even more precise health insights. Samsung engineers focused on three upgrades to the new sensor: enhancing the performance of light-receiving photodiodes, adding additional colors of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and arranging them optimally across the sensor.

Samsung more than doubled the performance of each photodiode, successfully decreasing the number needed to maintain capacity from eight to four. This redesign freed up additional space for the integration of a larger number and variety of LEDs and ensured their optimal placement across the sensor. The new sensor now includes Blue, Yellow, Violet and Ultraviolet LEDs in addition to an increased number of Green, Red and Infrared LEDs. With the integration and arrangement of these LEDs, photodiodes and specially designed photodiode, Samsung is taking innovation one step further and is now able to pursue unexplored aspects of health monitoring on wearables.

Bringing Greater Accuracy and New Possibilities for Preventative Wellness

The optimal allocation of Green, Red and Infrared LEDs sets new standards in wearable technology by improving accuracy and enabling exceptional performance across a broad array of health metrics. This allows the new BioActive Sensor to more accurately measure health metrics such as heart rate, sleep quality, blood pressure,² blood oxygen levels and stress levels.³ Even the measurement of heart rate during intensive workouts is 30% more accurate compared to its predecessor.

The more diverse colors of LEDs and newly designed photodiodes unlock new possibilities and empower you to better predict trends and take proactive steps for preventative care. The first of these features will be an advanced glycation end products (AGEs) index⁴ — an indicator of metabolic health and biological aging strongly influenced by overall lifestyle and dietary habits. Used as an insightful biomarker, this index provides a snapshot of your biological age to help you make more informed decisions about your wellness journey and work towards a healthier future. The addition of an AGEs index is just one of the many new advanced features planned for the next Galaxy Watch.

The next Galaxy Watch will bring more sophisticated and intelligent health and wellness tools to help you reach your goals. We can’t wait to show you more!

¹ Compared to Galaxy Watch6.
² The Blood Pressure feature is only available in select markets. To ensure accuracy, users should calibrate their device every four weeks with a traditional blood pressure cuff. The BP app cannot diagnose hypertension, other conditions or check for signs of a heart attack. This app can only be used for measuring in ages 22 and over. It is not meant to replace traditional methods of diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional.
³ Availability of the features may vary by market. Galaxy Watch is intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Not intended for use in detection, diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition or disease.
⁴ AGEs index monitoring will be available on upcoming Galaxy Watch series. The Galaxy Watch uses light sensors that operate within the limits set by the IEC62471 safety regulations. However, people with photosensitive skin may have adverse reactions to light, such as skin discoloration or a rash. Avoid using this feature if you experience symptoms of photosensitivity. AGEs index monitoring is for fitness and wellness only, not for the diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition. If you’re concerned about your health, please consult a medical professional for advice.

Samsung Electronics has expanded its Privileged Health Software Development Kit (SDK) program, with the goal of providing a broader range of tools for preventive health and fostering healthcare innovations through partnerships. By synthesizing the Galaxy Watch’s cutting-edge sensor technology¹ with each platform, Samsung and its partners allow users to check their vital signs in real time and manage their health in an intelligent and preemptive manner².

“Under our openness philosophy, Samsung is constructing an integrated and seamless digital healthcare ecosystem along with industry partners,” said Hon Pak, Vice President of Digital Health Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business. “We hope to provide users with a whole new suite of integrated health solutions, giving them the tools to easily manage and understand their health from their home.”

Solutions That Help Remote Patients Feel Connected to Doctors

With the Galaxy Watch, remote patient monitoring will be swifter and more connected, with data available straight from the users’ wrists. Partners can check the patient’s vital signs in real time, alert medical teams of any irregularities and provide up-to-date data to medical staff, allowing for efficient clinical management and timely emergency response decisions.

The Biofourmis remote patient monitoring platform delivers personalized care to thousands of patients each month, deploying its solutions through strategic partnerships with leading medical institutions. Boosted by the Galaxy Watch’s comprehensive biometric data, the service has become better equipped for patient-centered care through its dashboard. Kencor Health combines Galaxy Watch with its platform for personalized remote monitoring and specifically monitors and predicts hyperkalemia in chronic kidney disease patients by using biometric feedback collected from the Galaxy Watch.

For those with heart conditions, Medical AI software provides advanced ECG services that detect arrhythmia in daily life. By combining its own AI algorithms and the Galaxy Watch’s ECG technology³, the service provides smarter predictions and prompt alerts for patients. Oova is an AI-powered women’s health and fertility platform that remotely monitors hormone levels, connects to medical providers, and merges the Galaxy Watch’s biometric data with hormonal changes. This integration allows for more guidance through unique cycles, including perimenopause, and enables precise prediction of a woman’s fertile windows.

Healthier Body and Mind Through XR Therapy at Home

Extended reality (XR) has expanded to healthcare services, and with Samsung’s sensor technology, Galaxy Watch users can enter virtual worlds that provide immersive, therapeutic experiences from home. Samsung partner XRHealth is a virtual clinic that provides physical and mental health therapy in the comfort of one’s home. Upon starting the exercise, the Galaxy Watch monitors the user’s heart rate and vibrates when the assigned range is reached, serving as a pacer that tracks the user’s heart rate in real time. The Healium is a bio-feedback video platform and technology that turns heart rate data from the Galaxy Watch into immersive stories and colorful animations. This visual feedback helps users see their stress levels so they can understand their heart rate more intuitively.

Smart Solutions for Personalized Sleep Environment

Recognizing that sleep is the window to holistic health, Samsung has been working on creating the ideal sleep environment with minimized distractions, relying on tech-enabled solutions such as Sleep Mode, invisible LED infrared sensors and SmartThings controls⁴. Now Samsung is expanding its capabilities to include smart mattresses that set the perfect temperature for quality sleep.

Samsung partner 3Boon1 provides smart mattresses equipped with sensors and an AI algorithm that automatically regulates the temperature of the bed. When the user lies down, the mattress monitors their vital signs to detect what stage of sleep they are in, adjusting the temperature between 20 to 40 degrees Celsius throughout the night to ensure uninterrupted rest. Combining the Galaxy Watch’s skin temperature and heart rate measurements, the AI algorithm can further personalize the temperature in real time to fine tune the sleep environment.

Samsung will continue to support partners to develop their innovations into real world solutions and services that expand access to healthcare in the home, empowering individuals to take charge of their physical and mental health in a holistic manner. For more information about Samsung Health, please visit https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/samsung-health/.

¹ Galaxy Watch is intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Not intended for use in detection, diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition or disease.

² The services are provided by partners and availability may vary by market or device.

³ The ECG feature is only available in select markets. It is not intended to replace traditional methods of diagnosis or treatment. The feature is not intended for users with known arrhythmias other than AFib. Users should not interpret or take clinical action based on the device output without consultation of a qualified healthcare professional.

⁴ Available on smart devices that are registered to SmartThings. Requires the latest version of Samsung Clock and SmartThings mobile apps.

Gone are the days when your earphones were attached to the end of an electric cord. Losing the cables and mounted with Bluetooth technology, they have evolved into wireless earbuds. Users no longer have to worry about the cables getting tangled into a knot in their pockets. What’s more, wireless earbuds are now available in various designs that add a fashionable value.

Samsung Electronics’ all new ‘Galaxy Buds’ offers the best performance of all the advantages of wireless earphones. It is smaller and lighter than the previous generation, which makes for longer and more comfortable wear. With the enhanced battery efficiency, it offers longer usage time with a single charge. Perhaps most importantly, its sound quality has been improved with the technology of AKG, the premium audio brand of Harman.

The upgrade from the previous generation is clear in terms of specs. Samsung Newsroom has tried the product to experience just how much better it is when used.

Galaxy Buds is very lightweight that it is barely detectable in the palm of the hand. The size is also smaller than Samsung’s existing wireless earphones, ‘Gear IconX.’ Instead of hanging on the ears, Galaxy Buds ensures the best possible fit with its wing tips, and do not fall out easily. Even the largest wing tips do not press on the earflaps, making the earbuds comfortable and stable to wear.

The earbuds are a compact size that fits snugly inside the ears and the exterior that shows outside it is fashioned to a nicely rounded shape. The gloss of the surface material is quite natural and soft in color that it goes well with various kinds of styles. Users need not worry about whether the earbuds look good with their outfits.

Well-Balanced and Solid Sound Quality

‘Sound by AKG’ is etched on to the packaging of the product, showing the company’s confidence in the Galaxy Buds’ solid sound quality, which proved to be quite well balanced and consistent. It offers a deep, consistent base and a flat treble. For those who have their own taste for a certain sound field¹, use the ‘Galaxy Wearable’ app to choose one from the five EQ presets and customize the sound profile.

I tried listening to various genres of music for each EQ preset to figure out the difference. For emotional music such as ballads or jazz, the ‘dynamic’ setting was the best fit. For band or dance music, the ‘clear’ setting was a solid choice since it highlighted the differences in mixed sounds. According to the styles and ranges of vocals or instruments used, selecting the ‘bass boost’ or ‘treble boost’ was a nice pick. When I was enjoying music while concentrating on another task, the ‘soft’ preset was comfortable to listen to as it balanced different tones.

The sound quality during phone calls was outstanding in clarity, which makes for a pleasant experience to switch over to answering a phone call from listening to music. A good set of earphones maintains its sound quality not only when the music is playing but also during phone calls. Galaxy Buds showed consistent, solid performance on the subway or inside elevators and blocked out the noise well.

The two embedded microphones also controlled the volume of my voice according to the surrounding environment. During the several phone calls I made when I was using Galaxy Buds, I seldom heard complaints from the other person for not being able to hear me over the surrounding noise.

A useful tip for when making a phone call in a noisy environment is to choose ear tips that are a perfect, snug fit in the ears. This helps make a difference in blocking out the noise from the surroundings so that the microphone embedded in the interior nozzle of the earbud can pick up the user’s voice more easily.

Useful Features Including Seamless Connection and ‘Find My Earbuds’

Galaxy Buds automatically connects to the user’s smartphone when the case is open and disconnects when placed back in the case. With a simple touch on the surface of an earbud, users can play or pause the current song, or move onto the previous or next song. Users can even give orders or turn on and off certain features using voice command.

When the earbuds are misplaced, users can activate the ‘Find My Earbuds’ feature on the Galaxy Wearables app. The earbuds will start making a beeping sound which will help relocate them.

By turning on ‘notifications’, users can receive a voice notification in between the music when they receive a message or email. This feature is useful for those that always need to be available at work or when expecting an important message. Users can also manage notifications and turn them on or off for specific apps.

‘Ambient sound mode’ let noise from the surroundings flow into the earbuds without taking them off. It balances between the sound from the earbuds and from the surroundings. Using this mode, I was able to check work related videos while listening to what my colleagues were saying and listen to some music without missing any announcements in the subway.

Longer Battery Life and Easy Battery Charging

Galaxy Buds lasts up to six hours when used for listening to music, and five hours for making phone calls. Galaxy Buds lasted a whole day with just a single charge when I listened to some music and made a few phone calls during my commute and working hours. Of course, as the Galaxy Buds case act as a charger, the earbuds can last longer. It comes in handy while on a trip or on a long flight.

The newly mounted wireless charging feature also adds convenience. I just put the earbuds back inside the case and place it on a wireless charger or a Galaxy S10². It is completely wireless, in a sense that it doesn’t require a cable when being charged either. Thanks to this feature, users can be relieved from the stress of constantly checking the remaining battery life.

All in all, users are in good hands with the Galaxy Buds, in various aspects including sound quality and battery life – not to mention the sleek, cute design and a comfortable fit. Galaxy Buds handle quite nicely some inconveniences users might have experienced with other wireless earphones. For those who are looking for the ‘ultimate’ wireless earphones, Galaxy Buds will make a good choice.

¹ Sound Field is a virtual space created by sound to provide the most realistic listening experience. Sound fields are usually controlled through the residual sounds and equalizer.

² According to tests conducted by Samsung Electronics, the battery lasts 100 minutes after a 15-minute charge. The exact time may vary according to individual user’s tendencies. ‘Wireless PowerShare’ is limited to Galaxy S10 series and will stop sharing battery power once the smartphone’s battery falls below 30 percent.