Samsung released details Feb. 20 on a new line of fitness wearables , including the company's first device that can measure blood pressure. The wearables are regarded to rival Apple; however, they may not be the "holy grail", according to CNBC reporter Christina Farr.
The blood pressure feature, My BP Lab, was developed in partnership with UC San Francisco. Samsung users can download the My BP Lab app and it will automatically integrate into the wearable. The app is designed to allow users to "monitor blood pressure and keep better track of their physical health every day," the company said in a statement, according to CNBC.
While Apple does not measure blood pressure through its device, it does partner with third-party devices like Qardio and Omron to integrate health monitoring into the wearables.
A wearable that can monitor and record blood pressure would be groundbreaking. However, it remains unclear if Samsung's new watch will accurately monitor blood pressure. A company spokesperson confirmed the following with CNBC:
• Users first set up a blood pressure reading measured by a cuff to get an accurate initial reading.
• The app uses signals from the first reading to calculate blood pressure.
• The wearable has an optical sensor to measure users' heart rates.
Samsung did not respond to CNBC's request for information on how it ensures accuracy and whether the company partners with third-party wireless cuffs to read and monitor blood pressure. It is not clear whether the device has been FDA-approved yet.