Samsung Health to Discontinue Support for Older Devices: Key Implications and Alternatives

Introduction

Samsung Health, a comprehensive health and fitness tracking platform, has announced its decision to discontinue support for older smartphones. This move, affecting devices running Android 7.0 Nougat or earlier, is part of Samsung's ongoing efforts to enhance the user experience and ensure the stability of its services.

Key Points

Affected Devices: Samsung Health will no longer be available on devices running Android 7.0 Nougat or earlier, released in 2016 or before.
Reasoning: The decision is driven by the need to maintain a secure and stable platform while incorporating advanced features.
Timeline: The exact date of support discontinuation varies depending on the region and carrier. In general, users will receive notifications informing them of the impending change.
Alternatives: Samsung offers several alternative health and fitness tracking options for users with older devices.

Implications for Users

The discontinuation of Samsung Health support on older devices may have the following implications:

Loss of Data: Health data stored in Samsung Health will not be accessible on older devices. Users are advised to export their data before the service is discontinued.
Incompatibility with Wearables: Samsung Health will no longer be compatible with wearable devices, such as the Galaxy Watch, for older smartphones.
Limited Tracking Features: Older devices will lose access to advanced health and fitness tracking features available in Samsung Health.

Alternatives from Samsung

Samsung provides the following alternatives for health and fitness tracking on older devices:

Samsung Health Monitor: A standalone app that monitors blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels, available on devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later.
Google Fit: A pre-installed app on most Android devices, providing fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking capabilities.
Third-Party Apps: Numerous third-party health and fitness tracking apps are available on the Google Play Store, offering a range of features and compatibility.

Other Considerations

Security Updates: Older devices may become vulnerable to security risks as they will no longer receive Samsung Health updates.
Battery Life: Removing Samsung Health can improve battery life on older devices.
Software Performance: Uninstalling Samsung Health may enhance the overall software performance of older devices due to reduced system load.

Conclusion

Samsung Health's discontinuation of support for older devices aims to ensure a secure, stable, and feature-rich experience for users. While this decision may disappoint some, Samsung provides alternative options for health and fitness tracking on older smartphones. Users are encouraged to export their health data and explore alternative apps to continue their fitness journeys.