South Korea approves Samsung Galaxy watch as medical device

SEOUL, May 26 (UPI) -- South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has officially approved a heart-monitoring function for Samsung's health app, enabling smartwatch users to keep tabs on their blood pressure.

The Seoul-based tech giant said Sunday that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 will enable its users to measure and analyze their heart rhythms beginning in the third quarter of this year.

Users will also be able to check any heart irregularities under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety clearance.

Samsung explains how it works:

"Simply open the Samsung Health Monitor app when you are seated comfortably, and ensure the watch is fitted firmly to your wrist. Next, rest your forearm on a flat surface and lightly place a fingertip from the opposite hand on the top button on the Galaxy Watch Active2 for 30 seconds. The app will then measure your heart rate and rhythm."

Galaxy watch users in other countries will have to wait a little longer to take advantage of the ECG and blood pressure tracking technology. Samsung still has to get approval from local authorities in different regions.

In the United States, this tech would have to be cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Over the past several years, global smartphone and smart device manufacturers have tried to embed medical services into their products, including Apple.

The company's New Apple Watch Series 4 was approved in 2018 as an FDA class 2 medical device, which offers on-demand measurements for three different health metrics and detects falls.

The Apple watch is designed to track ECG and to alert users when they exhibit a low heart rate or irregular heart rhythms.