When Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro last August, the big new health feature for both smartwatches was the skin temperature sensor. Except there’s been one small problem with it: we haven’t been able to use the sensor at all.
Thankfully — nine months after the Galaxy Watch 5’s release — that’s changing. On April 19, Samsung announced that it has finally activated the temperature sensor on the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro. However, at least in its current state, there’s just one use for it: more in-depth cycle tracking.
Per Samsung’s blog post, “Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro users can now conveniently get even deeper insights to manage their menstrual cycles and overall health … The new infrared temperature sensor on Galaxy Watch 5 broadens our whole-health offerings, providing more convenient ways to track and understand personal health.”
The temperature sensor on the Galaxy Watch 5 determines a person’s basal body temperature (BBT) and uses that as a baseline to determine any changes to it. Skin temperature readings are pulled while you sleep, and with this temperature data, Samsung says the Galaxy Watch 5 will work with its cycle tracking feature to “track ovulation and better predict when their next period will begin.”
To use the Galaxy Watch 5’s temperature sensor to better track your cycles, you can find the new feature in the Samsung Health app. Open the app, add your most recent cycle details to the in-app calendar, and then enable Predict period with skin temp in the app settings.
This is almost exactly how Apple uses its skin temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. Anyone can see their changing temperature in the Apple Health app, but its primary use is for improved cycle tracking.
Samsung will enable the skin temperature on the Galaxy Watch 5 series beginning today for users in in the U.S., Korea, and 30 markets across Europe.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.