The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 skin temperature sensor is among the best upgrades for the new Samsung smartwatch, but what exactly does it do – or will it do?
I say “will” because the Galaxy Watch 5’s skin temperature sensor won’t be on when the smartwatch first comes out on August 26, 2022. (Here’s where to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in the meantime.) During Samsung Unpacked Samsung said users will be able to take advantage of the feature “in the near future”.
Now, while that’s a fairly significant asterisk over what was among the most anticipated announcements, it’s not a complete surprise. On multiple occasions, we’ve seen companies release smartwatches with disguised health sensors that can’t be used yet. The Galaxy Watch lineup prior to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro included a blood pressure sensor for several years that still does not have FDA clearance.
My hunch says we won’t have to wait long for the Galaxy Watch 5’s skin temperature sensor function. Samsung hasn’t identified the culprit due to the disruption, although a regulatory statement could certainly be the culprit. It managed to get ECG (electrocardiogram) approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the time of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 launch, so there’s little doubt that the company couldn’t get the same certifications.
Of course, these certifications vary from country to country, so it’s possible that the Galaxy Watch 5’s skin temperature sensor will be approved in certain places sooner than others. But that’s just an educational guess from my experience testing all kinds of smartwatches that promote advanced wellness technology, because again, Samsung hasn’t yet clarified what affects availability.
Skin Temperature Sensor for Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 – How does it work?
So what will a skin temperature sensor do? According to Samsung, skin temperature readings will be taken into account in sleep visions. This is the statement Samsung gave me regarding the functionality:
Our holistic wellness approach emphasizes the importance of restful sleep. The addition of a skin temperature sensor will now allow users to monitor their health in greater detail to get more insights each night. Additionally, as per our open collaboration philosophy, we are always looking for ways to partner with third parties so that our users can get a better look at their wellness.
Sleep tracking has become a bigger health pillar for the Galaxy Watch this year. One of the upgrades between the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is a new sleep trainer, which aims to design actionable sleep plans to improve zzz quality. Interestingly, the Apple Watch has also been emphasized sleeping more than before with extended insights into watchOS 9, which we’ll eventually see on the Apple Watch Series 8, but I could.
From what we’ve learned about skin temperature sensors on other wearables like the Fitbit Sense, instead of telling you your temperature like the thermometer you use to tell if you have a fever, skin temperature instead detects changes in trends. For example, if your skin temperature deviates from the baseline one night, it may indicate other irregularities in your daily health.
There are studies that say fertility can also be tracked via a skin temperature sensor. search from Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Opens in a new tab)(Opens in a new tab) found that wrist skin temperature can detect ovulation and has a true positive rate above basal body temperature.
Galaxy Watch has a women’s health app, so skin temperature readings can be applied to female users. Samsung has indicated that third-party developers may be able to take advantage of the Galaxy Watch 5 skin temperature reader for their health apps as well.
A futuristic view of the skin temperature sensor on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
I’m encouraged to see Samsung add a new Health Sensor this year, introducing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 as one of the best fitness trackers of the year — and not just one of the best smartwatches.
Last year it added a BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) sensor for body composition analysis, a feature I initially had some concerns with but have since embraced as a way to track my body and strength over a long period of time. I can’t imagine having the same frequency with a skin temperature reader.
I also feel the skin temperature reader could give the Galaxy Watch 5 an edge over the upcoming Google Pixel Watch, or even whatever follow-up Fitbit Sense might arrive this fall.
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