GoKawiilHadlee Simons / Android Authority
Wearables have come a long way from just counting steps. These days, they’re feature-packed wellness companions, tracking us through everything from sweaty workouts to abbreviated REM cycles. For a lot of shoppers, the idea of a daily health hub is the whole point. It’s also exactly why Samsung’s approach feels increasingly self-defeating. It’s now 2026, and some of the brand’s headline smartwatch features still depend on what phone you’re using.
Is your Galaxy Watch paired with a Samsung smartphone? 3329 votes Yes, I use a Galaxy Watch paired with a Samsung smartphone. 88 % No, I use a Galaxy Watch, but it's paired with another Android phone. 9 % No, I use a different smartwatch and smartphone setup entirely. 2 %
Samsung’s gated experience
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
The Galaxy Watch lineup includes some of the most capable health wearables you can buy. Yet, despite the lineup getting better and better in the last few years (largely thanks to Wear OS), the fine print hasn’t changed much. All of the biggest limitations tie back to Samsung Health Monitor, which remains exclusive to Galaxy phones. That includes blood pressure tracking, ECG readings, irregular heart rhythm notifications, and sleep apnea detection. Put simply, if it runs through Samsung Health Monitor, it doesn’t fully work without a Galaxy phone. I can strap Samsung’s hardware to my wrist, but access to its best tools depends on my loyalty to the ecosystem.
That isn’t to say the brand’s watches are bricked without a Galaxy phone. Most of the basics remain widely accessible, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, core sleep tracking, activity and workout metrics, and body composition measurements. All of these health fitness tracking tools work across Android phones through standard Samsung Health and Wear OS support. It’s just disappointing that Samsung’s most clinically meaningful features are the ones behind the wall.
An outdated approach in the world of Wear OS
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Wear OS isn’t the fragmented platform it once was, and the expectation now is that your experience follows your hardware, not the logo on your phone. Google’s Pixel Watch line, for example, keeps its core health features broadly accessible across Android devices, not just Pixel phones. Sure, region-based limits come with the territory for advanced health tools, but that’s a separate issue (and one Samsung deals with too). As Wear OS siblings move away from brand-based restrictions, Samsung’s restrictions feel increasingly out of step.
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