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Galaxy Watch Active 2 gets some of the Galaxy Watch 3's best features
They include running analysis, fall detection and smart reply.
A little over a month after it revealed the Galaxy Watch 3, Samsung is bringing some of that wearable’s most compelling features to an older device. A Galaxy Watch Active 2 update is rolling out now, which adds features focused on health, communication and connectivity.
Running Analysis digs into metrics including asymmetry, regularity, stiffness and ground contact time to help you boost your performance and reduce the risk of injury. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 can also provide VO2 max readings, which indicate the maximum level of oxygen you can utilize during intense exercise. The wearable now has a fall detection function, which can send emergency alerts to up to four contacts when it suspects that the wearer has fallen.
On the communication front, there’s a smart reply option while the watch can display emoticons and photos. You can see your chat history instead of just the most recent message, and you can send AR emoji stickers and bitmoji stickers directly from your wrist.
On top of that, you’ll have instant access to playlists on your phone and a scroll capture feature. You can use that to capture message threads, workout stats and more in a scrolling screenshot that the watch automatically sends to your phone.
It’s good to see Samsung continuing its trend of bringing features from its latest devices to its older ones, even though owners of the year-old Galaxy Watch Active 2 will have less incentive to upgrade. The update’s initially rolling out to the Bluetooth versions of the smartwatch and it’ll hit the LTE variants later. You’ll need the latest version of the Galaxy Wearable app along with the Galaxy Watch Active 2 plugin.
