LOS ANGELES – Samsung Electronics is exploring the development of non-invasive glucose monitoring and continuous blood pressure checking, setting its sights on ambitious healthcare goals in a race with Apple and other technology giants.

The work is part of a broader push to put health features in a range of devices, including its just-announced Galaxy Ring, said Samsung executive Pak Hon, who is overseeing the effort. The company aims to eventually give consumers a complete picture of their well-being via sensors on different parts of the body and around the home.

Health tracking is already a key selling point of smartphones and watches, with Samsung, Apple and Alphabet’s Google using the features to attract and retain customers. Creating sensors for continuous blood pressure tracking and glucose monitoring would be particularly valuable breakthroughs. Apple has been working for years on a glucose reader that would not require users to prick their skin for blood – a potential boon for millions of diabetics.

“If we can do continuous blood pressure and glucose, we’re in a whole different ball game,” Dr Pak, Samsung’s mobile digital health chief, said during an interview. “I think that’s where everyone is trying to get to. We’re putting significant investment towards that.”

He would not comment on a timeline for either feature, but said he hopes non-invasive glucose monitoring could come to the market in some form within five years.

The remarks follow Samsung’s announcement last week that it is working on a ring with health sensors. The Galaxy Ring product is scheduled to be released before the end of 2024 and will come in a range of colours and sizes, Dr Pak said. The company is eyeing activity and sleep tracking for the ring, with more health features to come later.

Smart rings from companies like Oura offer an alternative for people who do not like to wear a watch but still want to track their health metrics and sleep patterns.

Dr Pak said Samsung has not finalised pricing on the Galaxy Ring, but – like the company’s Galaxy Watches – it probably will not be compatible with Apple’s iPhone.

Developing a blood sugar monitor would be a more challenging task, but one that could have major rewards. Current products on the market typically require a blood draw or a prick in the skin. Apple has been working on a non-invasive approach since around 2010 and has made major progress, Bloomberg News has reported. Even so, a product remains years away.

The two companies are also working to improve blood pressure monitoring. Samsung’s smartwatches have long offered the ability to determine a user’s blood pressure, but the monitoring is not constant throughout the day and requires calibration against a stand-alone blood pressure checker.

Dr Pak said Samsung is evaluating all options to improve its blood pressure features. The aim is to go longer without needing calibration. “We’ve been thinking long and hard about this,” he said.

Apple, meanwhile, is planning to add hypertension detection to its smartwatch later in 2024 in a way that does not require calibration but also does not give exact readings. Instead, the watch will inform users that they may have elevated blood pressure.

Apple’s expansion into health technology has not gone entirely smoothly. It recently pulled a blood oxygen feature from the Apple Watch after a legal setback in its patent dispute with Masimo Corp.

Dr Pak said traditional blood pressure readings are not “really that meaningful” other than showing a range of normal and abnormal levels.

“Whether it’s Apple or others, I think we are trying to redefine blood pressure in a way that it was originally intended, which is: ‘How much cardiovascular risk do you have?’” he said.

Samsung is also exploring a range of different sensors for future versions of its earbuds. The company is studying new ways to measure body temperature and heart rates, adding that the ear is a closer pathway to the heart than the wrist. Data from the ear could be combined with wrist and ambient data to provide users with a more comprehensive picture of their health.

Mixed-reality headsets could be a new frontier for health as well, Dr Pak said. Apple is poised to release its first product in that market next week when the Vision Pro goes on sale for US$3,499 (S$4,700). Meditation and mental health could be key areas for such devices, he said.

“We are right now looking at partnerships to address that,” Dr Pak said. BLOOMBERG