Good news/bad news for the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2's rumoured ECG feature

Samsung is expected to announce a new smartwatch at its Unpacked event next month, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2.

The device, designed to compete with the Apple Watch, is rumoured to include one of the Apple Watch’s most desired features,an ECG reader.

Now, according to Wareable.com, the feature is confirmed, but may not arrive for a while.

They report that the ECG feature will ship with the watch, but, as a medical device, will need to await FDA approval, which is expected only sometime in the first half of 2020.

This is similar to the delay for the feature in the Apple Watch 4.

The ECG feature will allow users to record an electrocardiogram from their wrist, and offer notifications for atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm which can lead to strokes.

The device will also offer fall detection.

The smartwatch will be available in 40 and 44mm sizes, feature a slightly refreshed look and includes hardware such as microphone and speaker and will be available in Bluetooth, Bluetooth with Under Armour branding and LTE versions.

The Bluetooth Under Armour version will include an exclusive strap, along with integration with MapMyRun and a half year of the service for free.

SamMobile previously confirmed there will be an LTE (340 mAh battery) and WIFI variant (237 mAh). The Tizen-powered watch will run One UI 1.5.

The device will likely hit the market around the same time as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.

Via BGR