Galaxy Watch Active 2 update adds Samsung SmartThings Find support

Samsung has started rolling out support for Smartthings Find, its version of Android “Find My Phone” functionality, launched last October, on the Galaxy Watch Active 2. The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)  and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) powered network, which works similarly to Tile, can detect enrolled Samsung devices such as the new Galaxy S21 range, as well as the $29 Galaxy SmartTag launched alongside it.

First spotted late on Friday by XDA Forums member adfree after a posting (in Korean) on Samsung’s community pages, the update will allow you to locate your watch on a map as if it were a SmartTag. There’s no suggestion, that you can use your watch to find other enrolled objects, however. There’s new functionality for fitness fans too, in the form of a group walking challenge, improved sleep score analysis, quicker auto-recognition when you start working out, and automatic detection to start the timer when you start washing your hands. You’ll never need to sing Happy Birthday again. (except on birthdays, obviously).

Along with the usual catch-all of “improved system stability and reliability”, this is a fairly significant update for the Active 2, and a statement of intent for Smartthings Find across the whole Samsung ecosystem. Smartthings Find is not available on Google Play, but will be automatically added to the main Smartthings app on all compatible Galaxy devices in the next firmware drop. Whilst, on one hand, its quite clear that Samsung is moving towards a strategy of a “whole home” system, similar to Apple, it’s a huge risk to make Smartthings Find so Samsung-exclusive, especially when there are similar trackers such as Tile and Chipolo, both of which work cross-platform on all Android and iOS devices, and more importantly, cost less.

Full changelog details below. At present, the firmware is rolling out OTA in South Korea and Canada, with other territories to follow soonest.

Changelog (translated):

Samsung Galaxy Active 2: R820XXU1DUA3/R820GFC1DUA3

Improved Samsung Health Function:

• You can now enjoy a group walking challenge with your friends
• Additional sleep score insight provided
• Reduced auto workout recognition time (running, rowing machine, elliptical)
• Enjoy home workout with a variety of fitness programs

Smartthings Find:

• You can find the location of the watch on the map

Hand Wash:

• After downloading the Hand Wash app, your watch can automatically detect and time when you start washing your hands

 

• Improved system stability and reliability

 

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