The updated Sleep Apnea feature, available through the Samsung Health Monitor app, marks a significant leap forward from its predecessor. The enhanced algorithm analyzes a user’s vitals during sleep in greater depth and now provides insight into the level of breathing disruptions detected — going beyond the previous sleep apnea risk assessment to deliver more comprehensive, meaningful information that helps users better understand their condition, which can lead to productive conversations with healthcare professionals.

Most notably, Samsung is extending sleep apnea risk detection to a smart ring for the first time. Galaxy Ring’s comfortable, lightweight design makes it easy to wear through the night and convenient for sleep measurement, encouraging nightly wear. With the feature’s low data requirement, users can gain meaningful insight into their sleep health from as little as two nights of monitoring within a 10-day period. By offering the feature on both Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring, Samsung lets users monitor their sleep health in the way that best fits their lifestyle.

Samsung’s original Sleep Apnea feature previously received groundbreaking U.S. FDA De Novo authorization in February, 2024 — the first of its kind for a wearable device designed to detect signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Building on that clinically validated reliability, the updated feature has now also been approved by Korea’s MFDS last October. Samsung will continue to expand the feature’s availability so more people around the world can detect possible signs of sleep apnea and take proactive steps toward better sleep health. This underscores Samsung’s dedication to accessible preventive care, with sleep health serving as a fundamental pillar.

“Samsung has long worked to make sleep health a simple and seamless part of everyday life,” said Jongmin Choi, Head of Health R&D Group, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, Samsung Electronics. “This approval from Korea’s MFDS, along with our introduction of the world’s first support for a smart ring, reflects our commitment to accessible innovation. We are giving people the tools to help spot possible early signs of sleep apnea and take charge of their wellbeing.”

In Malaysia, the upgraded Sleep Apnea feature is currently not supported on Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9 until further notice.

1. The Sleep Apnea feature is an over-the-counter (OTC) software-only, mobile medical application operating on a compatible Samsung Galaxy Wearable and Phone. This feature is intended to detect signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea in the form of significant breathing disruptions in users 18 years and older, over a two-night monitoring period. It is intended for on-demand use and requires two nights of valid data within a 10-day period. This feature is not intended for users who have previously been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Users should not use this feature to replace traditional methods of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified clinician. ︎
2. Available on Galaxy Watch 9 running Wear OS 7.0 or higher. Support for Galaxy Watch 7/8 will expand through future software updates. The feature on Galaxy Ring is not currently available in Malaysia ︎

Like this user, and for many of us, a smartwatch is not just a convenience gadget. It is also a technology that lets us understanding more about our body. Rather than simply collecting a stream of numbers, the new Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9, together with the Samsung Health app, is designed to turn health data into more meaningful insights, helping users recognize changes in their body and make more informed decisions about their everyday wellbeing.

Knowing your usual health patterns can make it easier to notice when something is different. Your body has a baseline, and the new Galaxy Watches can help you understand it. Most people know their resting heart rate, sleep duration or daily step count can say something about their health. The challenge is knowing what all those numbers actually mean when viewed individually.

The new Vitals¹ feature is designed to make those signals easier to interpret. While you sleep, the Watches analyzes five key overnight signals, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature and blood oxygen, and compares them against your own resting baseline. Rather than simply throwing numbers at you, it looks for meaningful deviations from what is normal for you.

A restless night after staying up late is one thing. But if several of your usual overnight signals suddenly look different, having that information can give you a reason to pay closer attention to how you are feeling, whether you need more rest or whether something may warrant further attention.

Heart health is a particular area where context matters. You could exercise regularly, get your steps in and feel perfectly fine, yet still have lifestyle factors that could affect your long-term cardiovascular wellbeing. Looking at one metric alone may not tell the full story.

Samsung Health’s Heart Health Score², which builds on Samsung’s earlier Vascular Load feature, takes a broader approach. It combines insights collected with the Galaxy Watch, including sleep, stress and activity with body-composition data to provide a single daily view of factors associated with heart health. Think of it as a snapshot rather than a diagnosis – a simple way to see how your everyday habits are coming together.

For someone who has been sleeping poorly, for example, the answer may not be to push harder at the gym. It could be a reminder that recovery matters too. For another person, it could reinforce the value of staying active and maintaining healthier routines.

The goal is not to turn everyone into a health-data expert. It is to make the information easier to understand so that healthier decisions become easier to make. Because prevention often starts with paying attention. The latest generation of Samsung’s Galaxy Watches takes that philosophy further. Instead of waiting for users to interpret individual measurements themselves, features such as Vitals and Heart Health Score are designed to bring patterns and trends into clearer focus.

Of course, a smartwatch is not a replacement for a doctor, but having more visibility into your everyday health can make it easier to know when it may be worth having a conversation with a healthcare professional.

With Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health, that can change the way we think about health technology. The smartwatch is no longer simply a device that tells you how many calories you burned or how many steps you took. It can help connect the dots between sleep, activity, recovery and cardiovascular wellbeing, giving you a more holistic view of your health.

Ultimately, the most powerful health feature may not be an alert that tells you something is wrong. It may simply be having the information to notice that something has changed, and the awareness to do something about it. Because when it comes to health, staying ahead often begins with something as simple as paying attention. Take charge of your health with the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 today. Download the Samsung Health app for better insights into your health.

1. Not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. If you have health concerns, be sure to see a medical professional. Vitals requires sleep data of at least 7 nights. Vitals is available on Android phones (Android 11 or above) and requires the Samsung Health app (v7.0 or above). Samsung account login required. To use Vitals, it is necessary to wear a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Ring while sleeping. ︎
2. Available on upcoming Galaxy Watch with One UI 9. Requires a compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, Samsung Health app v7.0 and Samsung account. Requires initial setup wearing watch for 24 hours (including while awake and asleep). Heart Health Score software functions are not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. ︎

Becoming healthier does not always begin with a major lifestyle change. Sometimes, it starts with an extra walk, a better night’s sleep or remembering to drink enough water during a long workout. What elevates these habits is tracking it to build meaningful insights into your progress and daily needs.

That is the thinking behind Samsung Electronics Malaysia’s latest health push, following the launch of the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2. Alongside new health and fitness tracking capabilities, Samsung has been encouraging Malaysians to put those healthy intentions into practice through their quarterly step challenges on the Samsung Health app. The most recent challenge, which concluded in September, saw over 10,000 Malaysians participate with the goal of accomplishing 150,000 steps over the span of 3 weeks.

The initiatives come as overall health and physical activity remain an important area of concern in Malaysia. Malaysia’s National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 reported that 1 in 3 adults in Malaysia are not physically active, and 1 in 2 lead sedentary lifestyles¹. Key findings in the NHMS: Nutrition study in 2024 also found that only 17.1% of adults met the recommended intake of 2 servings of fruit and only 12.2% met 3 servings of vegetables a day.²

For Samsung, technology has an important role to play in helping people maintain an active lifestyle and healthier diets.

“Good health needs to be maintained through the small choices we make every day and simply being more aware of how our bodies are responding to our routines. We shouldn’t wait for something to go wrong before thinking about our health,” Charles Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics said.

“With Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, we want to make that awareness easier to act on,” he added. “By combining continuous health tracking with AI-powered insights, we can help people turn complex data into simpler, more useful guidance. And through initiatives like our Samsung Health x HOKA Community Run and Move Together with Malaysia step challenge, we hope to encourage Malaysians to take that first step, and stay active together.”

Bringing healthier habits to life

In conjunction with the launch of the new Galaxy Watch lineup, Samsung collaborated with sportswear brand HOKA to empower Malaysian with the tools, insights and support they need to train smarter and live healthier. Local initiatives included a pre-order exclusive for early birds, the nationwide Move Together with Malaysia step challenge hosted on the Samsung Health app, a community run in Kuala Lumpur on 5 September, and an exclusive Samsung Members e-voucher for 20% off selected HOKA products, valid from now until 31 December 2026.

The momentum continued with Samsung’s nationwide Move Together with Malaysia step challenge, which invited Malaysians to make movement part of their daily routine. Participants simply needed to have the Samsung Health app on their smartphones and complete 150,000 steps during the challenge period. Those who completed the challenge could redeem a RM200 voucher.³

By turning activity into a shared challenge, fitness feels less like a solitary goal and more like something people can pursue together, one step at a time.

The challenge was deliberately straightforward. Rather than asking people to overhaul their routines, it gave them a tangible target to work towards over several weeks. A morning walk, an evening run, extra steps during the working day – all of it counted.

Health tracking that goes beyond counting steps

Both Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2 feature Samsung’s updated health experience, bringing together core areas including Activity, Mindfulness, Nutrition, Sleep and Vitals through Samsung Health. Rather than simply presenting users with a collection of numbers, the watches use AI-powered insights to translate biometric data into more meaningful, personalized guidance.

Among the new capabilities is Nutrition Alert, which introduces hydration guidance during supported activities. During extended exercise, the watch can estimate sweat loss relative to body weight and provide guidance on when and how much fluid to consume.

For runners and people spending time outdoors, that means hydration can become part of the workout data they actively pay attention to, alongside pace, distance and exertion. This is particularly relevant for Malaysians, where heat and humidity can make hydration an important consideration during outdoor activity.

The Galaxy watches also introduce a broader suite of insights designed to help users understand their overall wellbeing. Heart Health Score⁴ combines factors including activity, sleep, body composition and stress trends into a single metric, while Daily Cardio Load⁵ helps users understand training intensity and recovery needs. Fitness Index⁶ provides a broader view of physical fitness and helps users set personalized goals based on their activity and body composition.

For Galaxy Watch9 users, sleep and recovery are also central to the experience. The watch uses overnight health signals to establish a personal baseline through Vitals⁷, helping users identify meaningful changes over time.

Together, these capabilities reflect Samsung’s vision of simpler, connected care – where technology works quietly in the background, helping users make sense of their health data and take practical steps towards their individual wellness goals.

Keep Moving Towards A Healthier You with Samsung and HOKA

Building healthy habits goes beyond tracking your steps and monitoring your wellness. To encourage Malaysians to stay active, Samsung has teamed up with HOKA to offer Samsung Members exclusive savings on selected HOKA products.

Samsung Members can redeem an exclusive e-voucher through the Samsung Members app to enjoy 20% off selected HOKA products on HOKA’s website. Offer valid until 31 December 2026.⁸

Explore the free Samsung Health app now on the Google Play Store or Galaxy Store.⁹

1. Source: 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS): Non-Communicative Diseases and Healthcare Demand ︎
2. Source: 2024 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS): Nutrition ︎
3. Subject to terms & conditions. Challenge period was 26 August to 16 September 2026. ︎
4. Heart Health is intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Not intended for use in detection, diagnosis, treatment of any medical condition or sleep disorder. The measurements are for your personal reference only. Please consult a medical professional for advice. ︎
5. Daily Cardio Load is available on Android phones (Android 13 or above) and requires the Samsung Health app v7.0 or above. Samsung account login required. To use the feature, at least 7 days of activity records are required, while 28 days of continuous wear is recommended for optimal accuracy. Please note that values may increase in daily situations where heart rate rises, such as during tension, anxiety or stress. ︎
6. Fitness Index is available on Android phones (Android 13 or above) and requires the Samsung Health app v7.0 or above. Samsung account login required. To use the feature, BIA and VO2Max each need to be measured at least once, along with 2 days of activity records and step count data. ︎
7. Not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. If you have health concerns, be sure to see a medical professional. Vitals requires sleep data of at least 7 nights. Vitals is available on Android phones (Android 13 or above) and requires the Samsung Health app (v7.0 or above). Samsung account login required. To use Vitals, it is necessary to wear a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Ring while sleeping. ︎
8. Voucher redemption and validity period: 15 October 2026 – 31 December 2026. The 20% discount is applicable to selected HOKA products, while stocks last, excluding new launch/products. ︎
9. Samsung Health app can be downloaded for free on the Google Play Store or Galaxy Store. You can download it on other Android smartphones from different manufacturers, such as Google phones. Samsung Health app requires Android OS version 10 or above. Availability of certain services may vary depending on the device model. ︎

When haze blankets the skies, outdoor runs, cycling sessions and weekend hikes may have to take a back seat. But changing conditions do not mean personal wellbeing has to be put on hold.

For Malaysians, the key is to adapt rather than abandon healthy habits. From swapping outdoor runs for treadmill sessions to prioritizing hydration and recovery, small adjustments can help maintain a balanced lifestyle indoors.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 and Watch Ultra2, paired with Samsung Health, offer connected tools to support these daily wellness routines. From tracking indoor workouts and monitoring sleep to providing personalized insights through Sleep Coaching, Energy Score, Antioxidant Index and hydration alerts, the ecosystem helps users stay informed and motivated as their routines change.

1. Keep Moving with Indoor Workouts

When haze disrupts outdoor activities, switching to indoor exercise can help maintain consistency. Treadmill running, stationary cycling, strength training and stretching offer practical alternatives to outdoor workouts.

Allison Yee, national triathlete and fitness content creator with over 350,000 followers on social media, who recently placed third in the Malaysian women half marathon category of the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2026, trains indoors when haze makes outdoor exercise less practical, sees it as an opportunity to focus on what she can control.

“Staying indoor and using the gym to train. Use this chance to maximize strength training and structured workout on treadmill. Find a little enjoyment or joy with accompany to the gym, listen to music or watch a video when on the treadmill, and focus on the upcoming event or race. You can only control what you can control.”

Samsung Health’s Fitness section helps users explore workouts suited to their interests and fitness levels. Paired with Galaxy Watch, users can track supported indoor exercises, monitor heart rate, record workout duration and review activity data to understand their progress.

Fitness Index is also another aspect of the new Galaxy Watches that ensures exercise routines are working by analyzing metrics like heart rate, VO2 max and daily steps against users’ peers. By clearly identifying individual physical strengths and weaknesses, it delivers tailored content and personalized goals so users can make continuous, targeted improvements. This feature can help turn everyday movement into a more consistent habit.

Check out how Allison takes advantage of all the Galaxy Watch has to offer:

For those with busy schedules, even short home workouts, stretching breaks or a few squats can make a difference. As new dad and food, wellness and lifestyle content creator Al Hisham puts it, “1 is better than 0.” Starting small can build momentum over time. Learn how he incorporates working out indoors into his daily routine:

During unhealthy haze conditions, avoid strenuous outdoor exercise. Indoor workouts should also be reconsidered if indoor air quality is poor.

2. Fuel Your Body

Exercise is only one part of maintaining good health. Balanced nutrition and adequate hydration are equally important, especially when disrupted routines make it easy to forget healthy habits.

Samsung Health helps bring these habits into everyday routines through supported Galaxy Watch features. For those who working out indoors and working up a sweat, Nutrition Alert provides hydration guidance by estimating sweat loss relative to body weight, helping users stay aware of their hydration needs during demanding activities.

The Antioxidant Index can also play a part in ensuring you meet your daily nutrition targets, estimating carotenoid levels in the skin using the Galaxy Watch’s advanced BioActive Sensor. Carotenoids are pigments found in many fruits and vegetables, making the feature a useful prompt to pay more attention to fruit and vegetable intake.

On this front, dietician Joey Khor, local nutrition content creator, recommends starting easy by keeping healthy habits simple and achievable, rather than waiting for the perfect time to begin. Learn how she pays attention to nutrition here:

“Do home workouts, walk and run on a treadmill, mindful with eating habits like limiting fried foods and stay hydrated. Choose a YouTube workout and tell yourself you are going to exercise for 5 minutes. Once you start, it’s easier to keep going as you’ve built the momentum.”

Together, these tools complement Samsung Health’s activity tracking by encouraging users to look beyond exercise and consider the everyday habits that contribute to wellbeing. The Antioxidant Index is not a direct measure of overall nutritional status, so a balanced diet remains essential.

3. Sleep Better and Understand Your Energy

Rest is an important part of staying healthy, particularly when balancing work, family commitments and exercise. Consistent sleep schedules, relaxing bedtime routines and a comfortable sleeping environment can support better recovery.

With the latest Galaxy Watches and Samsung Health, users can review their sleep duration, patterns and related insights to better understand their sleeping habits.

Sleep Coaching takes this further by offering personalized guidance based on recorded sleep data and habits. These insights can help users identify opportunities to improve their routines and develop more consistent sleep patterns.

Daily Cardio Load and Energy Score also helps users consider how recovery may influence their day. If sleep has been poor and Energy Score indicates lower readiness, a lighter workout or additional rest may be more appropriate than an intense training session.

Daily Cardio Load contributes to this by measuring accumulated cardiovascular strain. By calculating daily load and maximum training capacity, it recommends optimal training targets and rest times to ensure users reach their goals without risking burnout or injury.

By connecting sleep insights with activity data, users can make more informed decisions about when to push themselves and when to prioritize recovery. The goal is not to achieve perfect sleep or maximum energy every day, but to build a sustainable routine that balances movement with rest.

4. Monitor Activity and Heart Health

Staying active also means understanding how the body responds to exercise.

The Galaxy Watches tracks daily activity, including steps and supported workouts, helping users see how everyday movement contributes to their personal goals. Through Samsung Health, users can review their progress, recognize activity patterns and adjust their routines as needed.

Heart-rate and blood pressure monitoring during exercise offers additional insight into how the body responds to different activities and intensities.

These features support greater health awareness but do not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Anyone experiencing chest pain, unusual shortness of breath or dizziness should stop exercising and seek appropriate medical care.

5. Make Wellness Part of Everyday Life

For FZHD, lifestyle content creator, consistency comes from creating an environment that makes healthy choices easier.

“Maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle is tough because of work demands, lack of motivation, and weather conditions. Fortunately, I have a friend who join me in training and encourage me to stick with my healthy habits.”

His experience highlights how motivation, supportive relationships and realistic routines can help people stay committed to their wellbeing. Check out how FZHD stays motivated with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 here:

Muhammad Shaffuan, fitness enthusiast and marathon runner, says: “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to stay productive all the time. If the haze is keeping you indoors, take it as a chance to slow down a little and do things you normally don’t have time for. Even something simple like working out at home, watching a movie, reading or working on a personal project can help. Most importantly, listen to your body and take care of yourself. The haze won’t last forever, so just take it day by day!”

His ethos highlights that fitness is a life long journey filled with ups and downs, taking it day by day and moving bit by bit is the key to keeping a sustainable fitness lifestyle:

The connected experience of Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health brings these elements together, helping users discover indoor workouts, track daily activity, review sleep insights, monitor hydration, access supported health measurements, and provide additional motivation to keep going.

During hazy periods, Malaysians should continue monitoring official air-quality advisories, limiting outdoor exposure when conditions are unhealthy and following public-health guidance. Indoor exercise is not automatically safe if indoor air quality is also affected.

Ultimately, staying well during the haze does not have to mean doing more. It can mean moving indoors, drinking water regularly, eating balanced meals, getting sufficient sleep or taking a few minutes to stretch.

With Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health supporting these everyday choices, small, consistent steps can help Malaysians maintain their wellness routines until outdoor activities can safely resume.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide¹, which is why the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Heart Federation recognize Sept. 29 as World Heart Day. It is a reminder that the choices we make today can make a meaningful difference tomorrow.

These choices don’t have to be big. From choosing when to go to bed to making time for even just 30 minutes of exercise, the small choices we make every day add up to a healthier lifestyle. The good news is that Samsung Galaxy Watch can help you make proactive prevention part of daily life. By monitoring your sleep, activity level, stress and blood pressure, Galaxy Watch helps you better understand what’s happening in your body and what steps to take to ensure your heart is doing its job well.

Understanding Your Body at a Glance: Heart Health Score

The American Heart Association recommends looking at Life’s Essential 8² as key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health: diet, exercise, sleep, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and smoking cessation. But knowing what matters raises an important question: how do these factors change the choices we make every day?

Samsung Health’s Heart Health Score is designed to help you in this journey. It tracks and analyzes complex health indicators such as sleep duration, daily activity level, body composition and vascular load³, converting them into a single, simple score that anyone can intuitively understand and follow.

Think about what happens if you miss your daily exercise for a few days: your Galaxy Watch recognizes your moderate-to-high intensity activity level has decreased, reflects this change in a lower Heart Health Score, and makes a recommendation to go for a run. With convenient insights right from your wrist, Galaxy Watch delivers personalized insights that make it easier to recognize changes, understand your habits, and take the next step toward healthier ones.

▲ Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health provide effortless understanding of cardiovascular wellness through the Heart Health Score⁴.

Advanced Sensor Technology: From Measurement to Meaning

Samsung Galaxy Watches are equipped with an advanced BioActive Sensor which integrates three precision sensors in one: an optical heart rate sensor (PPG), an electrocardiogram sensor (ECG)⁵, and a bioelectrical impedance analysis sensor (BIA).

With calibration just once every four weeks using a home blood pressure monitor, you can easily check your blood pressure⁶ from your wrist anytime, anywhere. When you place your finger on the watch’s side electrode for just 30 seconds, the watch measures an electrocardiogram to detect signs of abnormal heartbeats like atrial fibrillation or ectopic beats. The Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN)⁷ feature, which detects abnormal heart signals, monitors the user’s heart rhythm throughout the day and provides a proactive notification if abnormal signs are repeated.

Even small reminders like this have the power to save lives. In several countries, these notifications⁸ have led to early detection of risks such as atherosclerosis or myocardial infarction.

Around-the-Clock Care: How Galaxy Watch Proactively Monitors Your Health Even During Sleep

Your heart is a constant you can count on, and it works whether you’re awake or asleep. When you wear your Galaxy Watch to sleep, it analyzes five major vital signs: heart rate during sleep, heart rate variability¹⁰, respiratory rate, skin temperature and blood oxygen saturation. These signals are compared against your personal baseline.

When you wake up, your Galaxy Watch will send a notification if it detects meaningful deviations from your baseline. By highlighting meaningful changes early, it gives you an opportunity to rest, recover or seek medical guidance before small issues become larger concerns¹¹.

Heart to Heart: Connected Care That Adds Peace of Mind

Looking after your own heart is only one side of the story. From parents to partners, siblings to grandparents or even friends, the burden of caring for the hearts of those around you weighs heavily. Samsung Health’s Health Data Sharing¹³ function lightens the load by sharing agreed-upon data items (number of steps, blood pressure, heart rate, medication adherence, etc.) with loved ones in real time.

You can check if your parents who live far away have completed their daily walk or taken their prescribed medication on time, just as if you were right there with them.

World Heart Day coincides with the seasonal transition when chilly winds begin to blow in the mornings and evenings. As the temperature gap between day and night widens, blood vessels constrict, sharply increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The key to preventing heart disease lies not in reactive treatment, but in proactive habits of paying close attention to the subtle signals your body sends every day. Start managing your heart health with Galaxy Watch, a reliable health partner that stays with you around the clock.

1. Source: World Health Organization (WHO), “Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)” Fact Sheet (July 31, 2025), “The top 10 causes of death” (Aug. 7, 2024). ︎
2. Source: American Heart Association (AHA), “Life’s Essential 8” (2022). ︎
3. Vascular Load feature measures the degree of stress placed on the cardiovascular system during sleep and displays the trend of change compared to a baseline value. It continuously analyzes changes during sleep to provide a comprehensive score. ︎
4. Image simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX/UI may be different. ︎
5. Electrocardiogram (ECG) feature records and analyzes subtle electrical signals of the heart when the user places a finger on Galaxy Watch’s top button for about 30 seconds, detecting atrial fibrillation (irregular and rapid quivering) and ectopic beats (premature irregular beats). ︎
6. Blood Pressure feature measures systolic and diastolic blood pressure by analyzing pulse waveforms with Galaxy Watch’s optical (PPG) sensor. An initial measurement using a separate cuff-type blood pressure monitor is required, and recalibration is needed every 4 weeks (28 days). ︎
7. Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) feature detects irregular patterns that may indicate atrial fibrillation through pulse monitoring and provides an early alert. ︎
8. Source: “When Every Second Counts: Galaxy Watch Series Health Features Help Save Lives,” Samsung Newsroom ︎
9. Image simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX/UI may be different. ︎
10. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) feature analyzes minute-to-minute variations in the intervals between heartbeats to show autonomic nervous system balance. It is automatically recorded during sleep and resting states. ︎
11. Heart Health Score and Vitals features are supported on the Samsung Health app (version 7.0 or higher). ︎
12. Image simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX/UI may be different. ︎
13. Health Data Sharing feature requires user consent, and users can independently choose which health data to share (including steps, workouts, sleep, weight, body composition, food intake, heart rate, stress, blood pressure, blood glucose, medication and vital signs). ︎
14. Image simulated for illustrative purposes. Actual UX/UI may be different. ︎

Samsung’s newest watches are less about simply monitoring your health and more about steering it towards your wellness goals — beyond providing data for users to react to, the line-up offers more proactive guidance so you can make the right moves at the right time. Tech experts across Southeast Asia and Oceania have been testing both the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 since he launch so read on for their verdicts on how the new line-up is performing.

Peak Performance: What Stands Out About the Galaxy Watch Ultra2?

Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is Samsung’s most rugged smartwatch, built for high-performance outdoor activities. Fino Yurio Kristo, Detik (Indonesia) wrote: “Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 with a premium, rugged titanium design built to withstand various conditions. Additionally, the device offers extended battery life, more accurate GPS, and enhanced performance, making it suitable for strenuous activities and long-distance adventures.”

Highlighting the device’s new diving capability, Justin Choo, Potions (Singapore) noted: “The original Galaxy Watch Ultra was built to survive rough conditions, but Samsung stopped short of recommending it for diving. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 changes all that.” Echoing positive sentiments about the new underwater feature, Ken Chu, Ke En (Malaysia) added: “The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a more practical companion for those who enjoy exploring underwater environments.”

Beyond the new advanced features, comfort of the Watch Ultra series has also been improved, with Fuzz.my (Malaysia) sharing on TikTok: “Now it’s even slimmer and & more comfortable to wear”. Andafter experiencing the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 for himself, Valens Quinn, GadgetGuy (Australia) highlights its “Faster chip, brighter screen, and bigger battery, all without a price rise”.   

Everyday Wellness: How does the Galaxy Watch9 Perform as a Daily Health Companion?

Galaxy Watch9 is built for all-day wear and designed to be an everyday health companion. FinoYurio Kristo from Detik (Indonesia) emphasizes key enhancements: “The Galaxy Watch9 brings significant improvements to the daily health monitoring experience. Samsung has introduced a slimmer design that is comfortable for all-day wear, without compromising health monitoring capabilities.”

Kevin Low from Geek Culture (Singapore) noted that the watch offers new intelligent solutions to better support health and wellness, sharing that: “The Galaxy Watch9 features guidance tools that detect early warning signs in five key areas.”, with Ngo Tran Thinh, HTV (Vietnam) sharing the view that “what stands out is how AI interprets health signals to provide guidance that feels increasingly personalized.”

Features like Vitals¹ analyzes heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen saturation while users sleep, to establish a personalized health baseline and send alerts when significant deviations are detected. Izami Gadget (Malaysia) said “The new preventive health features make the Galaxy Watch9 feel more like a daily health companion.”

The Takeaway: One Wrist, Two Ways to Stay Ahead of Your Health

Droidsans (Thailand) sums up Samsung’s latest wearables, saying, “The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch 9 are smartwatches that are perfect for adventurers and health enthusiasts. Powered by Snapdragon chipsets, they offer AI processing for comprehensive health and fitness guidance.”

The new health features available on the Galaxy Watch line-up are designed to support preventive health management. The Galaxy Watch transforms complex biological data into simple personalized insights to help users better understand their bodies and take meaningful action across sleep, activity, cardiovascular health, and recovery. With the Galaxy Watch, users can access comprehensive health insights, enabling them to adopt a more proactive approach to wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What’s different between the Galaxy Watch9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra2?

Built for outdoor adventures, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is built for high-performance users looking for long-lasting endurance, reliable durability, and precise tracking. The device can withstand heavy downpours, thick dust and the pressure of open water, making it the ideal option for those who enjoy going off-track with trail running, or those looking to explore ocean depths.

Meanwhile the Galaxy Watch9 is designed to be an everyday health companion. Introducing new AI-powered health features like Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index, the device supports users looking for smart and seamless wellness management solutions.

Q. Are the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 covered if it’s damaged or needs repair?

Samsung Care+² offers protection – free for the first three months³ – for your Galaxy Watch with fast repairs for accidental damage, extended warranty coverage and certified expert support at home and abroad. With One UI 9.0 on your Galaxy mobile phone, the new Warranty and care settings hub lets you enroll in, access and manage Samsung Care+ directly from your device, alongside warranty information, self-diagnostics, repair requests and remote support.

Q. Which app subscriptions can I try for free with my new Galaxy Watch? Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 come with a 60-day free Strava trial⁴ — activate either from the Strava app or Samsung Health app.

1. Not intended for use in detection, diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. For personal reference only — please consult a medical professional for advice. Requires a compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, Samsung Health app v7.0 and Samsung account. Requires initial setup wearing the watch for 24 hours (including awake and asleep). ︎
2. Terms and conditions apply. Samsung Care+ coverage, service type and promotion details may vary by country/region and a deductible (service fee) may apply. To be eligible for Samsung Care+ promotion benefits, registration may be required. ︎
3. If you buy a new Galaxy foldable on Samsung.com and enroll in a monthly Samsung Care+ plan, your first three months of coverage are free. ︎
4. Free 60-day Strava subscription trial promotion is available worldwide, excluding Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, sanctioned parts of Ukraine and South Korea. Redemption period runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. ︎

Last year, Samsung introduced the world’s first smartwatches with Gemini, bringing Google’s AI assistant to Galaxy Watch for natural conversations, quick answers, and everyday tasks. Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 expand that experience with a new way to make interacting with Gemini even more seamless.

What’s New With Gemini on Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9?

Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 introduce a new, intuitive Raise to Talk gesture¹. Instead of pressing a button or saying a wake phrase, simply raise your wrist toward your mouth and start speaking. The new gesture makes it easier to access Gemini when reaching for your phone isn’t convenient, helping you get things done with less interruption.

What Can You Do With Gemini on Galaxy Watch?

Once you’ve launched Gemini, you can use natural language to complete multistep actions, find information, and interact with compatible apps — all from your wrist.

Here are just a few of the ways Gemini can help throughout your day:

Stay connected: Send messages, summarize emails, and initiate phone calls without reaching for your phone.

Get organized: Create reminders, manage tasks, and add events to your calendar.

Manage your smart home: Adjust compatible SmartThings-connected² lights, speakers, thermostats, TVs, and other supported devices.

Navigate with confidence: Get directions, check transit and flight schedules, and discover nearby restaurants or activities.

Get information quickly: Check the forecast, sports scores, and other helpful updates while you’re on the go.

Enjoy music and media: Start music, podcasts, and compatible media playback with a simple request.

Which Galaxy Watches Support Raise to Talk?

Raise to Talk is currently available on Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9. Gemini is also available on earlier supported Galaxy Watch models, where it can be launched using a button press or your voice.

1. Setup required. Check responses. Compatibility and availability vary. Google and Gemini are trademarks of Google LLC. ︎
2. SmartThings app available on Android and iOS devices. Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account required. ︎

The Health Forum held at Galaxy Unpacked July 2026 also shared Samsung’s Connected Care vision for the next chapter of digital health — a future where care moves from reactive treatment toward preventive, personalized, and connected experiences, supported by trusted health innovation and partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem. One technology that is helping power these new consumer experiences is the health foundation model.

Researchers from the Digital Health Team at Samsung Research America (SRA) are developing new AI technologies to continuously understand a person’s health state from biosignals, generate health insights, and offer appropriate health guidance.

Samsung researchers recently introduced two foundation models based on wearable data: xMAE (Physiology-Aware Masked Cross-Modal Reconstruction for Biosignal Representation Learning), which learns the temporal relationship between different biosignals, and HiMAE (Hierarchical Masked Autoencoder), which understands health patterns across different time scales in wearable time-series data. Both studies demonstrate advancement of health AI models that can better understand the physiological relationships and temporal structure of biosignals.

Samsung’s work on xMAE and HiMAE models was accepted to the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), and the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), respectively, highlighting the significance of this research.

Health Foundation Models That Read the Body’s Signals: Why They Matter for Health 

A health foundation model is an AI model that uses self-supervised learning to learn meaningful features from unlabeled biosignal data. After being pretrained on large-scale health data, the models can be applied to perform a wide range of downstream health tasks, including biosignal analysis, developing new or improved biomarkers, and health issue prediction.

xMAE AI model: Continuous Cardiac Insight from Wearables

An electrocardiogram (ECG) on wearables directly measures the electrical activity of the heart and is useful for measuring heart rate and heart rate variability, identifying abnormal heart rhythms and risks for conditions such as atrial fibrillation. ECG is highly accurate, but typically requires users to pause and take an active measurement. On the other hand, photoplethysmography (PPG) can indirectly measure cardiac function by detecting changes in blood flow and can be passively and continuously measured through sensors in wearable devices such as smartwatches.

The two signals originate from the same cardiac activity, but they appear with a certain time difference, much like thunder is heard after lightning is seen. xMAE is a biosignal pretraining framework designed to learn the temporal relationship between the two signals by reconstructing masked portions of the ECG signal using the more easily and continuously measured PPG signal. As a result, cardiovascular health-related features can be analyzed more precisely using PPG without requiring separate manual ECG measurements.

The researchers pretrained xMAE using approximately 9,400 hours of ECG and PPG data. The model outperformed unimodal biosignal models and existing multimodal learning methods in 15 of 19 evaluation tasks, including cardiovascular disease prediction, abnormal test-result detection, and sleep-stage classification. The study also confirmed the potential to use the learned features across different sensor devices, body locations and data-gathering environments.

HiMAE AI model: Reading the Body at Every Time Scale on the Device

Health data measured from wearable devices can reveal different information depending on the time scale at which it is analyzed. For example, short time segments can reveal rapidly changing signals such as heartbeats, while longer time segments can uncover patterns that accumulate over time, such as sleep or physical activity. This is similar to examining different information by zooming in and out of an image.

HiMAE is a self-supervised learning model that learns representation from wearable data across multiple time scales. It uses multiple encoders to analyze short and long segments separately, allowing the model to identify information required for each health task, such as heart rate analysis or sleep prediction, at the appropriate time scale. During training, the model reconstructs masked parts of the data. This enables it to learn key patterns in biosignals even when labeled data is limited.

A single pretrained HiMAE model handles classification, numerical prediction and data generation. The model achieved high performance while being smaller than existing models. It also improved computational efficiency to the point where it can produce results in less than one millisecond on a smartwatch-class central processing unit (CPU). Most importantly, HiMAE demonstrates the potential of on-device health foundation models for the first time — analyzing raw health signals in real time, without relying on cloud servers.

The Next Step Toward Connected Care

Together, xMAE and HiMAE, represent an advance in AI models that precisely understand the physiological relationships and temporal structures unique to biosignals. Both models aim to deliver precise, continuous, personalized health insights and to generalize across many health tasks from a single pretrained model. Hear more from the researchers behind this work below.

Samsung West Lake store in Hanoi city

Samsung Electronics officially launches the new Galaxy Z series and Galaxy Watch line-up in Southeast Asia and Oceania, with the devices available across the region from 14 August 2026 onwards. Before the start of official sales, the region achieved a record high volume of pre-order foldables sales in Southeast Asia and Oceania with the launch of Galaxy Z8 series. Total sales of the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Fold8 Ultra devices were almost 60% higher compared to the Galaxy Z Fold7.

Since its unveiling, the Galaxy Z8 series has seen positive consumer response across the globe – with pre-orders for the new lineup increasing by more than 30% compared with the previous generation. Demand for the new devices in Southeast Asia and Oceania has also been robust. The Galaxy Z Fold8 has emerged as the most popular option in the region, accounting for almost six in every ten Galaxy Z8 devices ordered.

[1]

Built on seven generations of accumulated foldable technology and expertise, the new Galaxy Z series introduced an even more powerful foldable lineup and drew significant attention from the outset. The new line-up also resonated with the younger audience in Southeast Asia and Oceania, with consumers in their teens through 30s making up almost 60% of Galaxy Z8 series customers who placed their orders through Samsung.com.

By color, Graphite and Lavender were the most popular among Southeast Asia and Oceania consumers who went for the Galaxy Z Fold8, while Violet Shadow and Graphite were preferred for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. Pink was the top color for the Galaxy Z Flip8.

The Galaxy Z Fold8, optimized for immersive viewing of content popular among younger consumers — including short-form videos, webtoons, games and e-books — led demand. This fresh form factor supports immersive viewing, reading and gaming on the 4:3 main display[2] and at just 201g, it is Samsung’s lightest Galaxy Z Fold.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, appealed to consumers who prioritize productivity with its large-screen experience. Its expansive 8-inch main display offers more room for multitasking and an upgraded camera system helps users capture richer detail, color, and clarity. The Galaxy Z Flip8 is designed for those who value maximum portability – it is Samsung’s sleekest Flip ever released – and self-expression. With a reimagined FlexWindow, users can access apps, insights, actions and assistance directly on the cover screen.

The new foldable devices also support Smart Switch, which enables wireless data transfer through a QR code without requiring a separate app installation. With new compatibility between Quick Share and AirDrop, users can also share files seamlessly between iOS and Galaxy devices in both directions.

Alongside the Galaxy Z8 series, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 which have both been enthusiastically welcomed by consumers in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Built for outdoor adventures, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is built for users looking for long-lasting endurance while the Galaxy Watch9 is designed to be an everyday health companion. Together with the new Galaxy Z series, the latest Watch line-up strengthens Samsung’s AI ecosystem, delivering more connected experiences across phone and wrist.

Customers at Galaxy Z8 Series Pop-Up Event in Malaysia

To give users peace of mind, Samsung Care+ offers comprehensive protection with fast repairs for accidental damage, extended warranty coverage and certified expert support at home and abroad.

Purchase the all-new Galaxy Z Series and Galaxy Watch Series in Malaysia today!

Explore Samsung’s latest Galaxy foldables, designed to enhance productivity, creativity, and everyday flexibility. The Galaxy Z Flip8 features a compact foldable design that’s perfect for creators, selfies, and life on the go. The Galaxy Z Fold8 is built for seamless multitasking, immersive viewing, and productivity-focused experiences. For those seeking the ultimate foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra delivers Samsung’s most advanced premium foldable experience.

From 14 August to 4 October 2026, save up to RM1909.90 when you purchase the new Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8.

From 14 August to 4 October 2026, purchase the latest Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 to enjoy these exclusive benefits and promos!

[1] Image for illustration purposes only.

[2] Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold8’s Cover Screen size is 5.5” in the full rectangle and 5.4” accounting for the rounded corners. The Main Screen size is 7.6” in the full rectangle and 7.6” accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is smaller due to the rounded corners and camera hole. Aspect ratios shown are approximate, based on representative model values.

[3] Eligible customers who purchase selected models using AmBank, Bank Islam, CIMB Bank, Malayan Banking, RHB Bank, HSBC and United Overseas Bank.

[4] Promotion period runs from 18 August to 30 November 2026. Eligible users can redeem the voucher on the Samsung Members app.

[5] Promotion runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.

[6] Promotion runs from 14 August 2026 to 31 August 2026.

[7] Redemption period runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027.

[8] Promotion runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.

[9] Promotion runs from 14 August 2026 to 31 August 2026.

[10] Redemption period runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027.

From foldables to smartwatches, Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices take different forms but share the same design philosophy — comfort.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Hubert Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the Design Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, to hear how this approach shaped the new lineup.

Hubert Lee

Q. What were the key design considerations for this year’s Galaxy foldable lineup?

Today’s Galaxy devices are faster and more powerful than ever. We considered how we could go one step further to deliver a more natural and comfortable experience.

Slimness and lightness are essential to creating a comfortable user experience, since they influence how naturally a device opens, how comfortable it feels in the hand and how easily it fits into everyday life. That is why we consider not only the product itself, but also every moment of the user experience it creates.

From an aesthetic perspective, we applied the concept of “Emotive Geometry.” This design approach brings human warmth to Galaxy’s simple, refined forms, creating a balanced design that goes beyond powerful performance to connect with users on an emotional level.

Product sketches and design elements on display illustrate the design process behind the new Galaxy Z series[1].

Q. What drove the expansion of the Galaxy Z series portfolio?

Across seven generations of foldable innovation, we’ve gained a deeper understanding of how people use their devices. As user expectations for foldables have become more diverse, we have also recognized that no single foldable can meet every need – One size does not fit all.

Some users prioritize productivity and multitasking, while others value portability. Based on these insights, we expanded the Galaxy Z series lineup so each device could better serve different priorities.

Q. Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the slimmest Galaxy Z Fold yet. What shaped its exceptionally slim design?

The design concept behind the newest Galaxy Z series is “Emotive Slim” — an approach that focuses not only on reducing thickness, but also on how slim it looks and feels in everyday use.

We applied a gentle slope to the frame to make the foldable easier to open and created a more curved outer silhouette for a softer, more comfortable grip. We also minimized the flat side profile to create a visually slimmer appearance.

Q. Why was a passport chosen as the design inspiration for the new Galaxy Z Fold8?

The classic passport is designed to be easy to carry, hold with one hand and read at a glance. Those same ergonomic principles shaped Galaxy Z Fold8, extending our focus on comfort throughout the device’s overall layout.

When folded, it features a 16:10 aspect ratio optimized for one-handed use. Unfolded, it becomes a more immersive 4:3 display with balanced symmetry[2].

Q. How were these colors chosen for the new Galaxy Z series?

Each color was chosen to reflect the lifestyle of the people each device is designed for. Violet Shadow gives Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra a chic, sophisticated look, while Lavender brings freshness and softness to Galaxy Z Fold8. Pink adds vibrant, playful energy to Galaxy Z Flip8. Cream and Graphite round out the palette with timeless versatility.

Q. How did Samsung refine the design of Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9?

If a smartphone lives in the hand, a smartwatch delivers its greatest value when it’s comfortable enough to wear every day. That’s why our approach to the new Galaxy Watch series focused on refinement rather than reinvention, preserving our core design while enhancing the details that matter most.

At the center of Galaxy Watch is the cushion design. More than a shape, it defines the watch’s identity by balancing presence with softness and precision with comfort. For Galaxy Watch Ultra2, we brought the screen, bezel and cushion body into a seamless form, creating a cleaner profile and a more premium look. We also carefully refined the spacing and tactile separation between the buttons, making each one easier to distinguish by touch and enabling precise control without looking at the screen.

Q. How have the bands on Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 changed?

Bands play a critical role in wearability. For this generation, we made them lighter, thinner and more breathable with a new air pocket structure.

Because every wrist is different, we used computational design to validate comfort and fit using more than one hundred million real-user wrist data and ten thousand of simulations. We refined the balance between the watch body and band for greater stability on the wrist, while expanded band options give users more ways to express their personal style.

Q. What design philosophy ties this year’s Galaxy devices together?

In an era shaped by AI-driven change, human-centered values are more important than ever. Design shouldn’t only be seen — it should also be felt. For design to feel truly human, it must begin with a deep understanding of how people live, work and interact with technology every day. That belief has guided our approach to designing foldables and smartwatches.

The all-new Galaxy Z series

Explore Samsung’s latest Galaxy foldables, designed to enhance productivity, creativity, and everyday flexibility. The Galaxy Z Flip8 features a compact foldable design that’s perfect for creators, selfies, and life on the go. The Galaxy Z Fold8 is built for seamless multitasking, immersive viewing, and productivity-focused experiences. For those seeking the ultimate foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra delivers Samsung’s most advanced premium foldable experience.

[1] Images for illustration purposes only.

[2] Aspect ratios shown are approximate, based on representative model values.