Samsung is upgrading your Galaxy Watch, even if it might seem like something's missing

What is Vascular Load?

The feature uses the heart-rate sensor to measure and calculate the blood flow in your vascular system. The light from the sensor is reflected in a different way depending on the volume of the blood flow in your blood vessels.

Analyzing the results provides an overall picture of the cardiovascular health and could potentially show negative trends. Here's how Samsung describes the feature:



To measure your vascular load, you need to wear your Galaxy Watch for at least 3 nights in a two-week period. Of course, unlike the ECG feature, Vascular Load is not FDA certified, and results should not be taken as a diagnosis. Anyway, the feature will soon be gone, but there's some good news as well.

Vascular Load is getting replaced by Blood Pressure Trend

Samsung brought blood pressure tracking on Galaxy Watch devices to the US earlier this year. The feature requires regular monthly checks with a conventional blood pressure cuff to calibrate the watch and maintain accuracy.

However, the company is now bringing another health-related feature called "Blood Pressure Trend." As the name suggests, it will track your blood pressure over time and report trends and potential problems.

Samsung says the "Blood Pressure Trend" feature will be available in the US "on the upcoming Galaxy Watch." We expect the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 to be unveiled on July 22, 2026, sporting the feature out of the box.

Again, Samsung reiterates that the feature is for "wellness" purposes and not for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.

Health features on smartwatches are a double-edged sword

We've seen the success stories of people saved by their Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch. Features such as the AFib detection or irregular heartbeat alert could in fact save lives.

But there's another side of that coin. For people who are self-conscious and worry about their health, all those metrics and trends could create additional anxiety.

We're not machines, and sometimes our hearts skip a beat, or our pulse races with no reason. When your watch constantly tracks these little deviations and reports them to you, saying something might be wrong, it can get on your nerves and produce an opposite effect.

Of course, you should visit your GP and get checked regularly, and people with various medical conditions should keep an eye on these smartwatch features and use them as an early warning to get a proper check.