Does the Galaxy Watch 3 support ECG?

Can you use the Galaxy Watch 3 to take an ECG reading?

In recent years, ECG has become somewhat of a buzz word in the realm of smartwatches. If unfamiliar, an ECG (electrocardiogram) is a test that reads the electrical activity within your heart. This test can check for irregularities within your heart that may be an indicator of a potentially severe condition. A more thorough explanation can be found here.

Thankfully with the importance that an ECG can have, Samsung has decided to include the hardware within the Galaxy Watch 3. The ability to take an ECG has been built into the Watch Active 2 since it was released nearly a year ago. However, since this type of test requires regulatory approval, it isn't available — yet. Until recently, there had not been any announcements as to when owners of these smartwatches would be able to take advantage of ECG on their devices.

In terms of smartwatches for Android users, the FDA approved the functionality and app for Galaxy Watches containing the hardware for ECG to be used. It's not clear exactly when consumers will be able to begin using the feature as the announcement only states later in 2020. Unfortunately, if you absolutely need ECG on a smartwach now you're a bit out of luck. Currently in the U.S. the only smartwatch that offers ECG is the Apple Watch. Other health features that we are also waiting for are blood pressure monitoring and fall detection.