During the first half of 2026, heatwaves with uncharacteristically high temperatures have been reported in many places around the world.
Samsung has announced a feature for its Galaxy Watch smartwatch which will help people who work outside, or are vulnerable to the effects of high temperatures, prevent heat-related illnesses, and to understand when it’s time to take a break.
Before you go and check your Galaxy Watch 8 for an update, unfortunately, this feature is only being tested in South Korea at the moment, and only in a specific workplace, but it may hint at future feature possibilities for the smartwatch on our wrist.
Working with the South Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor, Samsung has integrated the AI-assisted feature into the Galaxy Watches worn by employees at Samsung’s semiconductor production line at its massive Pyeongtaek Campus plant.
Using personal biometric data including heart rate and activity levels, along with environmental data such as on-site temperature and humidity levels, the feature can “predict personalized heat risk levels,” according to ETNews.
However, while the data applies to individual employees, the data is actually fed back to a dashboard showing real-time information to managers. Notifications recommending rest breaks or greater caution are sent to the smartwatches, helping people avoid the effects of heat exposure.
Research and development
Samsung worked with the South Korean government on the project, using guidelines for safe temperatures.
It also worked with Incheon National University on the heat-based prediction and detection algorithm used by the Galaxy Watch and the SmartThings Pro platform used by the semiconductor plant.
Subsequently, the data and methods received clinical verification at Samsung Seoul Hospital’s Data Science Research Institute.
A future Galaxy Watch feature for consumers?
At the moment, Samsung’s heat-related prevention tool is only used by some workers at its plant in South Korea, but it’s obvious a lot of work has gone into creating it.
Heatwaves have caused chaos in many places in 2026 already, and governments are setting out, or updating, existing advice on how workplaces should deal with extreme heat. People are also working to become better informed about what to do in heatwaves.
Samsung has introduced a variety of wellness features to One UI Watch and Samsung Health over the past few years, including its Antioxidant Index and its AI Energy Score.
A tried-and-tested tool to better advise wearers about heat exposure could be a timely, and relatively simple addition to its suite of features.
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Watch 9 at an Unpacked event at the end of July, according to rumors.
