Samsung Galaxy Watch gets sleep tracking improvements
Samsung Galaxy Watch is benefitting from a software update which allows it to track REM sleep without continuous heart rate monitoring. This will help to preserve battery life overnight.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The timepiece is primarily a fitness focused device. Its slew of activity tracking sensors includes an accelerometer, heart rate, gyro and barometer. Which means you get the usual steps, distance, floors, calories and activity stats. This includes keeping tabs on up to 40 different exercises – and swimming thanks to 5 ATM water-resistance.
Unlike the Apple Watch, the Samsung’s device has a native app for monitoring your sleep. The latest software update brings a few useful updates to this functionality.
Up to now, the watch would only track REM sleep if it was set to always monitor heart rate. This option samples your pulse every ten minutes. The requirement has been removed now which will ultimately serve to reduce battery usage overnight.
It is likely, though, that keeping continuous heart rate on will result in better quality data. REM sleep occurs at intervals during the night and is characterized by rapid eye movements, faster breathing, more dreaming and bodily movement. Typically, your heart beats faster during the REM phase.
The update also allows users to toggle the REM tracking function on or off. By default, it is switched on.
The latest enhancements is a part of a wave of updates we’ve seen over the past two weeks. Earlier enhancements brought improvements to battery life and better overall usability.
Source: SamMobile
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