Samsung exec targets non-invasive blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring

Samsung has provided a firm indication that it's working on delivering non-invasive blood glucose monitoring and blood pressure tracking in future wearables.

Speaking to Bloomberg, the company's mobile digital health chief Hon Pak suggested that "significant investment" is being put towards the next-gen health features.

"If we can do continuous blood pressure and glucose, we're in a whole different ballgame. I think that's where everyone is trying to get to," they said.

"We are looking at everything from miniaturization to the various different technology platforms that can do some type of glucose monitoring or anything in between."

No timeframe was given by Pak for the projected rollout of these features to Samsung Galaxy wearables - a collection that will soon include the Galaxy Ring - though they did suggest that non-invasive blood glucose monitoring technology could materialize within the next five years. 

Of course, Apple has also long been rumored to be working on the same 'holy grail' of health sensors. 

Around a year ago, it was reported the Samsung rival hit a breakthrough with its efforts to deliver non-invasive glucose monitoring on the Apple Watch, and Apple's VP of Health Sumbum Desai has also hinted at the possibility of the advanced sensor being included at some point.

It's also been rumored that the 2024 Apple Watch will debut native hypertension detection in users, something that would challenge the current capability of Samsung's smartwatches to check blood pressure sporadically after calibrating with a separate monitor.

Non-invasive technology is still likely some time off, then, and perhaps so is native blood pressure analysis, but we've never had clearer comments that the major companies are gunning to be the first to deliver these features.