New range of Samsung Smart Watches announced with health focus

Samsung has announced new additions to its SmartWatch portfolio, with the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro to be released in late August.

The company says the new devices are intended to help users reach their health goals and milestones, with a range of new features and technologies involved.

Monitoring and analysis is a key feature of the new products, says Samsung, with the Galaxy Watch5 being equipped with Samsung's BioActive Sensor.

This technology was first introduced on the Galaxy Watch4 series, and uses a single chip that combines three health sensors – Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart Signal and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis – to deliver more readings for the body. This includes heart rate, blood oxygen level, and stress level analysis, and there is also a newly introduced temperature sensor.

The Body Composition measurement tool is also said to provide a complete snapshot of the user's overall health, also giving them a tailored approach to set goals and track progress. There are also new customisation options relating and smart features relating to rest and recovery as well.

Samsung has also said the products are designed with an increased surface area and have more direct contact with a user's wrist. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro comes with a D-Buckle Sport Band that will offer more durability and comfort. The enhanced Sapphire Crystal and titanium casing will also protect the display with a protruded bezel design.

There is also extended battery life and time, which the company says will allow the device to last for longer than previous models. The Galaxy Watch5 comes with 13% larger battery and provides eight hours of sleep tracking with eight minutes of charging, which is 30% faster than the Galaxy Watch4.

New interactive features that have been announced include the utilisation of Google Assistant and an upcoming feature with Google Maps where users can find their way without a smartphone connection. New apps like SoundCloud and Deezer are also featured, along with One UI Watch4.5, which offers a fuller typing and accessibility features.

Samsung Electronics president and head of mobile eXperience business Dr. TM Roh says the new products showcase the company's commitment to promoting health and wellness, and the analytical features help provide better and more comprehensive insights.

"We're dedicated to giving our Galaxy Watch community the tools, data and resources needed to not only understand their overall health and wellness better, but to coach them on their journey," he says.

"With Samsung's groundbreaking BioActive Sensor, we're empowering users with the most complete picture of their health-related insights yet."