Apple is not the only tech company looking to bring groundbreaking health tracking capabilities to its wearables; according to a new report from Bloomberg, Samsung is hard at work developing continuous blood pressure monitoring and non-invasive blood sugar measurement for its devices

This is part of a larger effort to bring game-changing health features to various devices, such as the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Ring, said Hon Pak, the Samsung executive overseeing the effort Currently, accurate measurements of blood glucose and blood pressure levels require specialized clinical devices But Samsung, Apple, and other tech giants are aiming to include these and other health features in the smartwatches and fitness trackers that consumers already wear every day

"If you can continuously measure blood pressure and glucose, that's a whole different ballgame," Puck, Samsung's chief of mobile and digital health, told the outlet ''And that's what we're doing,'' Puck, Samsung's chief of mobile digital health, told the outlet We are investing heavily in that"

Even before the Apple Watch Series 7 was announced, we had heard rumors that Apple's smartwatch would include a non-invasive blood glucose sensor However, there are conflicting reports as to how much progress has been made What we do know is that Apple has been working for years on incorporating a glucose reader that would allow millions of people to better manage their diabetes without having to prick their skin for a blood sample, and Bloomberg's Mark Garman previously reported that in 2024 or 2025 He reported that the Apple Watch X, which is said to be released in 2024 or 2025, could include blood pressure monitoring technology

Puck remained tight-lipped about the exact timing for either feature, but said that non-invasive glucose monitoring could appear "in some form within five years" In the future, Samsung aims to use sensors on various parts of the body and around the house to eventually provide consumers with a complete picture of their health

"We're looking at everything from miniaturization to a variety of different technology platforms that can do some sort of glucose monitoring and everything in between," Puck said

Samsung is "evaluating all options" to improve blood pressure functionality, he said, noting that traditional blood pressure measurements are not "really meaningful" beyond showing normal and abnormal ranges He said, "Whether it's Apple or some other company, I think we're trying to redefine blood pressure in the way it was originally intended: how much cardiovascular risk is there?

Park also shared some updates on the Samsung Galaxy Ring, a new wearable that can track users' health and fitness, which was teased at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event It will have built-in activity and sleep tracking capabilities and will launch at some point in 2024, but "more health features" are planned for the future, Puck said

"The Ring represents a community of people who want more comfortable, unobtrusive health tracking," he continued

"The ring," he continued, "represents a community of people who want more comfortable, unobtrusive health tracking

But in addition to the Galaxy Ring, Samsung is considering incorporating a variety of health-related sensors into future versions of its Galaxy Buds The company is researching new ways to track a user's body temperature and heart rate through the ear, and combining that information with data from the wrist and surroundings could provide a more comprehensive picture of a user's health Samsung is also exploring meditation and mental health options for its mixed reality headset, which could be a future competitor to Apple's Vision Pro