[Report] Heart Rate Hit 196bpm and SOS Alerted... Precise Running Coaching with Galaxy Watch9

Experiencing the Galaxy Watch9 at St. James's Park in London

Real-Time Tracking of Heart Rate, Calories, and Running Route

'SOS' Alerts for Emergencies... A Helpful Companion for Amateur Runners

At 4 p.m. on the 23rd (local time), it was still too early for sunset. Among the crowds enjoying a stroll at St. James's Park in London, UK, many runners could be seen. In the pleasant weather, I joined the runners wearing Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Watch9 to experience its coaching features.

On the 23rd (local time) at St. James's Park in London, England, the 'Galaxy Watch 9' worn while running displays the final record (left) and the running route. Photo by Kyojo Noh

The Watch9 fit lightly around my wrist. After turning on the screen and setting the 3km running goal in Samsung Health to 20 minutes and 45 seconds or less, I pressed the start button, and the Watch9 began tracking data. It was my first time using a smartwatch, and I thought, "It's really honest." Regardless of my fondness for running, the results of my recent neglect of exercise were revealed without filter in various records and data points.

After finishing the run and pressing the finish button on the Watch9, the screen showed 1.92km, 14 minutes 16 seconds, a pace of 7 minutes 25 seconds per km, and 140 kcal burned. My running level was 2. Synced with the Samsung Health coach, the Watch9 analyzes your current fitness and endurance through a 12-minute run test and assigns you a running level from 1 to 10. The higher the number, the more it indicates the pace control skills of an expert runner.

Putting aside the shock, I swiped through the screens and could see the starting point as well as the running route marked in blue. It was also possible to check segment pace (best record, average) and a detailed analysis. The Watch9 categorized ground contact time, flight time, regularity, and vertical amplitude as Excellent, Good, or Poor. Moreover, it calculated how much sweat was lost (in ml) and how much water should be consumed to replenish a certain percentage, which was extremely useful information on a hot day.

On the 23rd (local time), the 'Galaxy Watch 9' worn while running at St. James's Park in London, UK, displayed heart rate changes (left) and an SOS alert detecting danger. Photo by Kyojo Roh

The most surprising experience was related to my heart rate. The average heart rate measured was 169 bpm, with a maximum of 196 bpm—numbers that could easily explain collapsing while running. At one point, I ignored the 'ding-ding' sound that went off while my breathing was labored, but I later inferred that the Watch9 had been warning me because my heart rate was too high. Heart rate changes were also displayed in the form of a graph, making it easy to identify where I had abruptly slowed down during the run.

An SOS alert also appeared, with the message: 'Turn on to get help if a hard fall happens while you're exercising.' Literally, it advises enabling the function so you can get help if you take a hard fall while exercising. Since the alert popped up right after finishing the run, it can be interpreted that the Watch9 detected a sudden change in movement when stopping abruptly with my heart rate at its limit.

In the end, experiencing the Watch9 in one of London's historic royal parks felt reassuring. Although I regretted not fully utilizing all the features due to unfamiliarity, I naturally concluded that as an amateur, I could exercise much more effectively with the Watch9. The Watch9 will be available for pre-order on the 28th along with the Watch Ultra2 and will be officially released on the 7th of the following month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.