Samsung Wins US Clearance for Galaxy Watch Blood Pressure Tracking as Apple Pushes WatchOS 26 Alerts
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 9
Samsung Wins US Clearance for Galaxy Watch Blood Pressure Tracking as Apple Pushes WatchOS 26 Alerts
3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 9
Summary
Samsung can now offer blood pressure tracking in the US on select Galaxy Watch models through its Samsung Health Monitor app, ending years in which the feature was available mainly outside the country.
The function is cleared for wellness tracking rather than as an FDA-approved medical device, and users must first calibrate the watch with a standard blood pressure cuff, then recalibrate about once a month.
Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch Ultra are the main supported models highlighted, adding blood pressure trend monitoring to broader smartwatch features such as ECG, fitness tracking and multi-day battery life.
Apple is approaching the same problem differently in WatchOS 26: its newer watches issue hypertension notifications after at least 30 days of wear, but do not provide actual blood pressure readings.
The move expands a still-thin US market for blood pressure wearables as hypertension affects 1.3 billion people globally and about half of US adults, many of whom do not know they have it.
Can new smartwatch blood pressure alerts create a false sense of security, doing more harm than good for users?
As wellness tech blurs into medicine, who is liable when a smartwatch's health estimate proves dangerously wrong?
Wearable Blood Pressure Monitoring in 2026: Samsung’s US Launch, Apple’s FDA-Cleared Notifications, and the Evolving Regulatory Landscape
Overview
Samsung's Galaxy Watch blood pressure monitoring feature, first launched globally in 2020, finally became available in the US on March 31, 2026, after a delay caused by regulatory processes involving the FDA. This new functionality positions the Galaxy Watch as a more advanced wellness tool for US users. However, the feature is designed only for general wellness use and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Samsung emphasizes that it should not replace traditional diagnosis or treatment methods, but instead offers users helpful insights into their health trends.