Samsung is set to launch its next-generation wearable software, One UI 8 Watch, in July 2025, alongside the Galaxy Watch8 models, with a beta program for select Galaxy Watch owners starting this month.
The tech giant is emphasizing four key health-focused features included in the One UI 8 Watch update, designed to improve sleep quality, monitor vascular health, and enhance running performance. These features are part of Samsung’s effort to provide users with holistic health insights and management tools.
One of the highlighted features is the ability to monitor antioxidants, specifically carotenoids, which are known to promote healthy aging. The watch will track carotenoid levels in the user’s skin, providing insights into their antioxidant intake. This is achieved through the Antioxidant Index, which utilizes the optical BioActive sensor to measure carotenoids stored in the skin in just 5 seconds. Carotenoids, found in green and orange vegetables and fruits, are crucial antioxidants for overall health.
The Bedtime Guidance feature is designed to optimize sleep schedules by suggesting an ideal bedtime based on an individual’s lifestyle and sleep patterns. It also sends reminders to encourage adherence to the recommended sleep schedule. Furthermore, Bedtime Guidance continuously recalculates the optimal bedtime based on the user’s sleep data from the previous three days, ensuring personalized and up-to-date recommendations.
Another feature, Vascular Load, focuses on measuring the stress on the vascular system during sleep. The Galaxy Watch will monitor various stats and combine them with other factors, such as sleep duration, exercise habits, and stress levels, to provide a comprehensive view of vascular health. This information is intended to help users develop healthier habits and improve their overall well-being.
For fitness enthusiasts, the Running Coach feature offers detailed analysis and guidance. After a 12-minute run, the feature analyzes the user’s performance and provides a score ranging from 1 to 10. Based on this assessment, the Running Coach can generate customized running plans for various distances, including 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon, tailored to the user’s fitness level. During subsequent runs, the feature provides real-time guidance to help runners avoid injuries related to overexertion.
Dr. Hon Pak, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Health Team at Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division, emphasized the importance of sleep in their approach to health. “Sleep remains a cornerstone of our approach to health, as it influences physical and mental well-being, social relationships and even work performance. Now, we envision our Galaxy Watch delivering holistic insights centered around sleep — insights that lead to meaningful changes in daily life. We believe this aligns with our vision of empowering you to lead healthier lives through proactive care and holistic health management,” said Dr. Pak.
