[Point Economy] As running becomes a mainstream pastime and the so-called era of "10 million runners" takes hold, Samsung is pairing 14 years of health data with the Galaxy Watch’s precise sensors to deliver a smarter running experience.
A recent survey from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism found that domestic participation in running jumped roughly 60%, from 4.8% in 2024 to 7.7% in 2025. With one in three adults using smartwatches to analyze and share their workouts, Samsung Health — Samsung’s integrated health platform — is emerging as a go-to partner for runners.
Launched in 2012 as S Health, Samsung Health has advanced far beyond basic route tracking. In 2018, the service was integrated with the Galaxy Watch and added real-time pace guidance. In 2020, Samsung introduced the world’s first six-way running form analysis, bringing sports science into everyday training. The BioActive sensor, introduced in 2021, accurately measures blood pressure, ECG and blood oxygen even during vigorous activity, improving the reliability of collected data.
What sets Samsung Health apart is its ability to present pro-level metrics in an intuitive way. The Running Detailed Analysis, a tool used by elite athletes, lets users monitor ground contact time, vertical oscillation and left-right asymmetry with precision. Those insights help runners prevent injuries and fine-tune their stride for better energy efficiency. The platform also tracks VO2 max and sweat rate to detect subtle internal changes.
A personalized Running Coach that supports safe, structured training is another core strength. Developed with input from former national marathoner Kwon Eun-joo, the feature assesses fitness on a 10-level scale using a 12-minute run test. It then recommends tailored training from about 160 professional programs and uses real-time voice guidance to keep runners from starting too fast.
Samsung also offers integrated health features, including an Energy Score that analyzes sleep and nutrition and recommends rest — not just tools that focus solely on the run.
At the May 14 briefing, Kwon said that using sleep analysis to objectively assess fatigue from prior training can help prevent injuries caused by overexertion. Choi Jun-il added that Samsung Health has evolved alongside global users for 14 years and aims to be a reliable partner, helping runners move beyond fixation on metrics to better understand their bodies and maintain a healthy balance.
This push aligns with younger runners’ appetite for data-driven, precise analysis and is likely to strengthen Samsung’s influence in both domestic and international running markets.
