Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review: The first take of a great future idea

And there’s another wrinkle: you need to pair this watch with a Samsung phone to use the health features that have actual medical clearance. Why? I have no idea. The separate Samsung Health Monitor app that collects data from ECG and blood pressure readings is only available on Samsung’s Galaxy App Store right now, which means other Android phones can’t access it. It’s bizarre, since ECG wearables like Fitbit Sense just pair with normal Google Play apps.

An ECG is an electrical test for heart arrhythmia, similar to what’s on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later, or the Fitbit Sense. It’s FDA-cleared, but doesn’t detect heart attacks or other heart disease, and isn’t a replacement for seeing a cardiologist. Meanwhile, Samsung has a blood pressure feature that uses the optical heart rate monitor to get readings, once the watch has been calibrated using a physical blood pressure cuff. That blood pressure feature still isn’t cleared for use in the US yet, and in other areas of the world you’ll still need a Samsung phone to use the Health Monitor app.

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