Samsung Health Monitor App May Disrupt South Korea’s Blood Pressure Monitors Market

Samsung Electronics has received Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) approval for its over-the-counter and cuffless blood pressure monitoring application ‘Samsung Health Monitor app’ from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). The app will allow users to check blood pressure using a smartwatch and has the potential to disrupt the country’s blood pressure monitors (BPM) market, said GlobalData, a worldwide data and analytics company. 
 
GlobalData’s research reveals that the South Korean blood pressure monitors market, which accounted for around 4 percent of the Asia-Pacific BPM market in 2019, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5 percent through 2025.
 
Rohit Anand, a medical devices analyst at GlobalData, commented: “The number of Korean adults suffering from high blood pressure is increasing and it is likely that a part of this population remains undiagnosed. Monitoring blood pressure digitally through an app is relatively convenient and this could be a path-breaking solution for the diagnosis and management of high blood pressure.” 
 
Samsung Health Monitor app can be used with Galaxy Watch Active2 and users will have to calibrate app manually using traditional blood pressure cuff. Users need to calibrate their device every four weeks to ensure accuracy. The app is expected to be available on the device within the third quarter of 2020.     
 
Anand concluded: “The demand for wearable devices with features such as sleep and exercise tracking has seen an explosive growth in the past. Companies are now trying to add more healthcare and Internet of Things features as a part of their brand expansion strategy and to capture a larger market share. Samsung Health Monitor app may have an impact on South Korean BPM market as this app will augment blood pressure tracking. This will also help Samsung to compete with arch rivals such as Apple.”