The electrocardiogram feature on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is one of the highlights from this new line of smartwatches. However, it’s not something as simple as enabling it on the device. There are some approval processes that Samsung needs to go through on each country before it can be used. The latest country where the ECG sensor has gotten permission to be enabled is Taiwan. So, users of the smartwatch, there should expect a software update sometime this November.
According to SAM Mobile, the ECG feature is set to be released on the Galaxy Watch 4 through a software update that will be released later this month. Once enabled, users will be able to monitor their heart rate as well as detect signs of atrial fibrillation from their wearable, with the warning of course that this will not perform as well as actual medical devices. This is after Samsung was able to get regulatory permission from Taiwan for the device to fully enable all the functionalities.
Samsung is hoping that having the ECG featured enabled will increase sales of the Galaxy Watch 4 in Taiwan. The new smartwatch line already offers a lot of features but having ECG functionality will still enhance its value. They are offering an incentive for those who want to purchase the new smartwatch but need to get rid of their current one. They can trade in their older device at any Samsung Smart Hall or Samsung Mall by December 31 and they’ll get NT$2,000 on the original trade-in value.
The Bluetooth-only Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic variants are selling online in Taiwan starting at NT$8,990 ($323) and NT$11,990 ($427) respectively. They’re also selling the limited edition Maison Kitsuné Edition for NT$11,990 ($427). This is the first smartwatch running on the updated Wear OS platform, a partnership between Google and Samsung. Previous Galaxy smartwatches were running on Tizen.
As to where the ECG will be enabled for the Galaxy Watch 4 next is still unknown. The approval process can take some time for some countries while some are able to give it almost immediately upon release. This means it’s hard to predict where the ECG will show up next.
