Samsung has just revealed a new feature coming to its Galaxy Watch—and it could be a game-changer. Using artificial intelligence, the smartwatch may soon be able to detect one of the most common causes of heart failure.

Smartwatches have come a long way. Once just fitness trackers, they’re now evolving into miniature medical tools, capable of tracking our health day and night and spotting the tiniest red flags. Today’s wearables already monitor heart rate, ECGs, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and even sleep apnea. Samsung is even developing an optical sensor to track glucose levels and help flag potential diabetes.

Now, the Galaxy Watch is set to take another big step. Samsung has announced a feature that will detect left ventricular systolic dysfunction—a condition responsible for nearly half of all heart failure cases. It’s a serious issue: life expectancy with this condition is just 50% over five years.

Early detection could be life-saving

The goal? Catch it early. With earlier diagnosis, doctors can act faster, improve treatment, and potentially save lives. The new tool was developed in partnership with Korean firm Medical AI, which created algorithms based on 12-lead ECG readings. These are already being used in more than 100 hospitals and with over 120,000 patients each month.

Samsung hasn’t given a release date yet, nor has it confirmed whether current Galaxy Watch models will support the feature. But the announcement suggests it’s getting close to rollout.