Does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 support blood oxygen monitoring?

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central

Track your blood oxygen levels with the Galaxy Watch 4

Once upon a time, tracking for blood oxygen (SpO2) levels wasn’t as common on wearables. In fact, unless you worked in the medical field or had a health condition that required ongoing monitoring of these levels, you might not have known the significance of this health metric.

Today, some of the best Android smartwatches such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 offer detailed health tracking, including blood oxygen monitoring. These features are designed to give you an in-depth look at your overall well-being.

You might be wondering about the purpose of this feature. Let’s start with the basics. Monitoring your blood oxygen levels can give you an idea of how effectively your blood is carrying oxygen throughout your body. In turn, this information will let you know how effective your breathing is. Considering there are so many smartwatches with blood oxygen monitoring, it’s easier than ever to keep track of this information.

Some common health conditions associated with low blood oxygen levels include shortness of breath, pneumonia, COPD, asthma, and even COVID-19. A normal blood oxygen level is described as 95% or above. Samsung explicitly states that the SpO2 sensor is not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions. Instead, this feature is intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. If you notice a trend of low blood oxygen levels, you should consider talking to your doctor.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4’s blood oxygen monitoring is part of the new 3-in-1 BioActive sensor, which is the first of its kind. This technology uses a single chip to take different health measurements rather than needing separate components for each. Measuring your heart rate and your blood oxygen level is easy. It only requires you to remain still while the watch takes the measurement, so it couldn’t be more convenient.

Otherwise, there’s a lot you’ll get on the Galaxy Watch 4. This is the first of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch line to feature Google’s Wear OS, which means you get access to the Play Store and numerous more apps, which you didn’t get on the older Tizen OS. There’s also improved sleep detection, a new body composition tool, and all the standards for tracking your fitness. You can choose between four different sizes to match your needs and style.