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Just because Samsung has recently released what may well be not only its best smartwatch ever but also the greatest overall Apple Watch alternative to date, that doesn't mean the company is looking to leave older wearable devices out in the cold already when it comes to software support.
The main focus is on helping users lead a healthier life, bringing to the table a number of tools enabled on the hot new Galaxy Watch 3 either right out the box or following that first big update delivered around a month ago.
The most exciting functionality added to the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 at last is something that the chaebol advertised straight off the bat as an Apple Watch-matching technology. Unfortunately, we're not talking about ECG monitoring, which is still in the process of being implemented on both the Galaxy Watch 3 and Watch Active 2, but rather fall detection.
This works pretty much as you would expect (and exactly how it works on the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5), identifying potential falls and giving wearers in possible need of emergency assistance the option to ask for help directly from the wrist, as well as quickly inform up to four pre-designated people of their distress.
While the other newly added health tracking features are unlikely to save any lives, their potential to improve your fitness is... pretty well-documented, providing advanced "Running Analysis" with detailed metrics like asymmetry, regularity, stiffness, vertical oscillation, and ground contact time, as well as so-called VO2 max readings indicating the maximum amount of oxygen a person can utilize during intense exercise to increase your endurance.
Convenience improvements galore
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is also getting a slew of capabilities aimed at helping you live "more conveniently", starting with smart replies. Basically, whenever you receive a message and even an image, the smartwatch will provide "suggested responses" based on text analysis and "advanced photo recognition technology" to save you some time.
You can also save time by actually viewing photos and emoticons, as well as checking your entire chat history, on the sharp AMOLED display on your wrist rather than constantly turning to your connected Android handset or iPhone to keep up with lengthy conversations.
Then you have support for both AR Emoji Stickers and Bitmoji Stickers with no need to switch between your smartwatch to your smartphone for "fun replies" to your messages, as well as scroll capture functionality automatically sending screenshots taken on your wrist to your pocket.
Finally, Samsung is promising to make an "even more seamless music experience" possible "across your devices", although the actual details of this enhanced experience are left out for the time being. You'll just have to wait and install the undoubtedly hefty update to check everything out for yourself.
Keep in mind that these things are typically delivered gradually, with Samsung highlighting that Bluetooth-only units are set to receive the improvements and new features slightly earlier than LTE-enabled devices. In case you're wondering, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is still widely available in the US, currently starting at $229.99 after a small $20 discount. The Galaxy Watch 3, meanwhile, is regularly available for a whopping $399.99 and up, so if you're on a tight budget, this older and slightly less impressive intelligent timepiece can be a very smart purchase.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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