Samsung will remove Vascular Load feature from Galaxy Watches in the US

Samsung is expected to launch two new smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, later this month. While they will bring new and improved health, fitness, and wellness features, Samsung is also removing an experimental health feature that debuted on the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra last year.

The South Korean firm has published a notice (via @theonecid) in the Samsung Health app informing Galaxy Watch users in the US that it is removing the Vascular Load feature, which has been in beta since its launch. It will still be available for users in other countries.

Since the feature is being removed only in the US, the decision could be related to regulatory requirements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although Samsung hasn’t revealed an official reason.

Samsung developed Vascular Load to monitor the stress placed on your vascular system while you sleep. The feature uses data collected by a compatible Galaxy Watch’s heart rate sensor over at least seven days to analyze photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveforms and estimate factors such as changes in blood volume and vascular stiffness.

Once the Vascular Load feature is removed, its data will no longer appear in the Samsung Health app. However, you can download your existing data by navigating to More options > Settings > Download personal data.

Thankfully, Samsung is preparing to introduce a new feature called Blood Pressure Trend. It will automatically measure your blood pressure at regular intervals to show trends over time. Samsung Health will then provide insights and tips to help you maintain a healthy blood pressure range.

Samsung says Blood Pressure Trend will be available on “upcoming Galaxy Watch models,” which likely refers to the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. These changes will arrive with the One UI 9 Watch update later this month.