Samsung's Galaxy Watch 3 gets a major health tracking upgrade

An update to the Samsung Health app (via Engadget) now allows users to check blood oxygen using Samsung's latest smartwatch "You can now monitor VO2max and other advanced metrics while running with the Galaxy Watch3," says the patch notes for version 6110061 of the app

VO2max, or in layman's terms, blood oxygen monitoring, measures how much oxygen is present in your blood It can be used to check how healthy your cardiovascular system is in general and to see how your exercise is improving your oxygen-carrying capacity having a high VO2max is especially important for people who are doing sports or activities that focus on endurance, such as running or rowing especially important for those who practice endurance-oriented sports or activities such as running or rowing

Samsung Health also has support for SpO2 tracking, which monitors your blood oxygen saturation This helps you understand when your levels are dropping It is usually a good sign that you need to take a break from exercise to properly catch your breath

The other major update to the app is the ability to "track your sleep using the Galaxy Watch3 and receive a personalized sleep score along with suggestions for improving your sleep quality Like other sleep-tracking wearables, the Galaxy Watch 3 can give you tips on how to improve your night's rest, as well as read how deep your sleep was throughout and when you woke up [However, the Watch 3's ECG feature is still eagerly awaited Currently approved by the FDA but not included in the app or device, this feature would allow the watch to more accurately measure heart rate and even detect heart problems, which the Apple Watch 5 already has so Samsung can remain competitive with Apple, would be wise to bring this feature to market soon