While software updates are usually only intended to fix annoying errors, Samsung has added completely new features to its Galaxy Watch 3. For example, the first update is supposed to activate the measurement of blood oxygen, among other things.
An early update
The announcement of an update came as a surprise. After all, the Galaxy Watch 3 has only been on the market for a few days. But apparently there were still some bureaucratic hurdles to be overcome with regard to blood oxygen measurement. After all, the update activates the trend-setting function in most countries. It uses a new type of SPO2 sensor. In addition to the measurement of blood oxygen, this sensor also offers other advantages. With a size of 80 MB the update is not big. If you want to download it, you can do so easily via the Wearable app.
Phase by phase update
As is typical for Samsung, unfortunately not all owners of the Galaxy Watch 3 can benefit from the update at the same time. It will be rolled out again in phases. If you already own the watch, you may have to wait a little before you can use the new features. But owners in our fields are still lucky. There are some regions that cannot yet benefit from the blood oxygen measurement feature despite the update. Currently, owners in Algeria, Angola, Canada, France, Iran, Japan, Libya, South Africa and Thailand still have to wait. However, once Samsung has overcome the regulatory hurdles, the new features will be available across the globe.
The further updates
But it does not stop at the activation of the blood oxygen measurement called PulseOX. Samsung has also extended the Galaxy Watch 3’s running analysis, and the Sleep Scores function allows you to monitor your personal sleep patterns. With the new VO2Max function, the user can also see the maximum amount of oxygen consumed during training. This is primarily intended to improve the user’s own endurance.
Most functions in the USA
In the USA, the Galaxy Watch 3 ECG app will also soon be available. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that this is a class 2 medical device. This means that the Apple Watch will face serious competition from the Far East. After all, it is the only Smart Watch to offer this feature so far. It remains to be seen when we in Germany and the rest of Europe will benefit from this feature. It is speculated that it could be ready in March 2021. We have no choice but to wait and see.
