Samsung pivots to aging care with smartwatch tech that spots heart failure risk

Samsung announced Tuesday it is developing smartwatch technology that can detect left ventricular systolic dysfunction, a serious cardiovascular condition responsible for approximately half of all heart failure cases and more lethal than some cancers.

The announcement, published October 1, marks the company’s latest move to position its wearables as clinical monitoring tools rather than consumer accessories—a strategic pivot that comes as Samsung commands just 6% of the global smartwatch market compared to Apple’s roughly 20%.

Developed in collaboration with Medical AI, a Korean medical device company specializing in AI-based electrocardiogram technology, the algorithms have already secured approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as the first smartwatch to gain LVSD detection capabilities. The technology builds on Medical AI’s existing 12-lead ECG analysis system, which is deployed across over 100 major hospitals in Korea and used for more than 120,000 patients monthly.

Heart failure carries a five-year survival rate of only 50% following diagnosis, according to data in the release. Early detection through wearable monitoring could reduce hospitalizations and enable timely intervention—exactly the kind of healthcare-at-home solution that demographic and economic pressures are demanding.

In June, Hon Pak, Samsung’s vice president and head of digital health, told CNN that rising rates of chronic disease in an aging population, combined with escalating healthcare costs, are driving care delivery out of hospitals and into the home—a shift Samsung is positioning itself to support.

By 2030, one in five U.S. residents will be of retirement age, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Medicare spending for beneficiaries aged 85 and older averages $16,145 annually—nearly double the $7,566 spent on those aged 65 to 74, according to a 2019 Kaiser Family Foundation study cited in research published in the journal npj Aging. Among Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions, those with four or more conditions accounted for 94% of total healthcare expenditures in 2010, with average annual costs reaching $21,342 per person.

By 2030, one in five U.S. residents will be of retirement age, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Medicare spending for beneficiaries aged 85 and older averages $16,145 annually—nearly double the $7,566 spent on those aged 65 to 74. Among Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions, those with four or more conditions accounted for 94% of total healthcare expenditures in 2010, with average annual costs reaching $21,342 per person.

Yet approximately 77% of adults over 50 prefer to age in place rather than relocate to assisted living facilities, which cost an average of $45,000 annually. Home modifications for accessibility typically cost $10,000 to $100,000—expensive, but far less than years of institutional care.

The global wearable medical devices market was valued at $42.74 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $168.29 billion by 2030, growing at 25.53% annually, according to Grand View Research. The remote patient monitoring market, valued at $43.22 billion in 2024, is expected to reach $137.26 billion by 2033.

Samsung’s medical device portfolio

The LVSD detection announcement builds on a series of FDA clearances that are transforming Samsung’s watches from wellness devices into medical tools.

The company received FDA clearance in July 2024 for its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature, which monitors for atrial fibrillation—a condition affecting between 2.7 million and 6.1 million Americans that can lead to stroke and heart failure. The feature works alongside the watch’s electrocardiogram function to provide continuous background monitoring, alerting users to irregular heart rhythms that warrant further investigation.

In the same year, Samsung’s sleep apnea feature became the first of its kind authorized by the FDA, enabling users to detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea over a two-night monitoring period. The condition, which affects roughly 25% of men and 10% of women in the U.S. according to the National Sleep Foundation, compounds cardiovascular disease risk when left untreated.

These clearances position Samsung’s devices as remote monitoring tools that could reduce the frequency of doctor visits and catch conditions before they require emergency intervention—key value propositions for both patients and healthcare systems struggling with aging populations.

The brain-computer interface play

The company’s October 1 announcement also highlighted work on an around-the-ear electroencephalogram prototype developed in partnership with Hanyang University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. The Ear-EEG device uses strategically placed electrodes around the ear to capture high-quality brain signals outside laboratory settings, overcoming the bulky limitations of traditional EEG systems.

The research, published in the IEEE Sensors Journal as the issue’s sole feature article, demonstrated two key applications. The device accurately detected the onset of drowsiness in real-time, potentially useful for monitoring cognitive function or medication effects in elderly patients. When combined with artificial intelligence to analyze brainwaves, it identified participants’ video preferences with 92.86% accuracy—a capability that could extend to detecting mood changes or cognitive engagement.

For aging populations, brain-computer interfaces could eventually monitor for early signs of cognitive decline, track medication adherence through attention patterns, or provide real-time alerts for dangerous mental states—all without requiring visits to specialized facilities.