Smartwatches are advancing more and more every day. Something incredibly important is an SOS feature or incident detection. With the new Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, incident detection has become a primary feature that is comforting for many.
But what exactly is incident detection, and how does it work. In this guide, we will break down the Samsung Galaxy incident detection feature so you can decide whether it makes sense for you to have it!
What is it?
Incident detection usually refers to hard falls that would require assistance from local authorities. This has been an important feature in smartwatches that can save lives. This is particularly true for older generations that may have a hard time getting up if they were to take a nasty fall.
However, it doesn’t matter if you are older or young. If you take a tumble that’s debilitating, the watch kicks into incident detection. It’s also commonly referred to as fall detection. This is not the same as SOS features which we will explain!
How Does It Work?
So how does the Samsung Galaxy work to protect you? Let’s break down how it works from a functional and technical standpoint!
Function
When the Samsung Galaxy has detected that you have taken a hard fall, the watch will ring for 60 seconds. If you don’t respond or pick up, it will send emergency SOS notifications to the four contacts you have chosen in your watch.
Technical
It does this by paying attention to the accelerometer. Essentially, if you are moving and all of the sudden you stop with a shock to the system, the watch concludes you have gotten into an accident or have fallen.
The update to the Samsung Galaxy 4 has made it so that you can be standing still, and if you take a hard fall, it also detects it. This takes into account instances like fainting.
The SOS Feature
Many people mistake the incident detection or fall detection for the SOS feature. The SOS feature is actually a component of incident detection but also functions as its own primary feature.
If you are in an emergency situation, the SOS feature allows you to call 9-1-1 without unlocking your phone. You can also turn your phone into Emergency Mode, which changes the settings to save battery life. This can help your watch battery last several days.
How Well Does It Work?
With the new update to the Samsung Galaxy 4, users have reported that it works very well. Before the Samsung Galaxy 4, the watch didn’t account for incidents where the person wearing the device wasn’t moving. While many hard falls occur when in motion, many things could still happen without moving.
Something like fainting or falling from a ladder wouldn’t be detected through the accelerometer. However, now it depends on both the accelerometer and other factors to include standing incidents.
How to Set It Up?
So, if you are interested in activating this feature (and we highly recommend you do), this is how to do it. The setup is not complicated, but it is always a good idea to make sure you have things set up properly.
You will need to have the Galaxy Wearable App installed on your phone.
- Launch the Galazy Wearable App on your smart device.
- Go into your settings and scroll till you see the section that says “SOS”.
- Tap the SOS feature and under this you will have the feature to set the toggle next to detect falls to “on”.
- An option will come up where you can create a contact or select contacts.
- Select the contact you want to recieve your SOS call if the 60 seconds is not answered.
- Next toggle the “Send SOSes” so that when something happens they send the alerts to the right contact
Now you have successfully set up your Fall Detection and have recipients that will be contacted if the incident is detected and not answered.
Tips For Using Fall Detection
In the past, some users have taken a fall and then answered the detection too quickly. What can happen is if you disable the call and then try to get up too fast, you can end up passing out or realize you are in more trouble than you think.
The 60 seconds allow users to get up and shake off some of the adrenaline to see if they are OK. Disabling it too quickly can be problematic. Give yourself a little time to assess the situation if you are present.
Where To Buy It
You can buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 from multiple suppliers.
| Product | Supplier | |
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Amazon | Check Price |
| Galaxy Watch 5 | eBay | Check Price |
| Watch 4 Classic | eBay | Check Price |
| Galaxy Watch 4 | Target | Check Price |
These are just a few of many purchase options. Keep in mind each store has different warranty policies.
Final Thoughts
Enabling fall detection or incident detection on your Samsung Galaxy certainly has all benefits and no risk. With the recent upgrade from the three to the four, the accelerometer isn’t the only thing that incident detection looks at. That way, a whole range of incidents is covered, and the chances that you’ll be assisted if you do have an incident are very high.
Remember that incident detection is slightly different than SOS features. While SOS features are definitely a part of fall detection, it is its own entity. It offers features like emergency calling in any situation and enabling features to ensure the battery lasts.
Users reported that the fall detection works well, so it is worth putting the feature on. If you are unsure how to do this, scroll up to our instructions guide!
If you’re still considering which smartwatch you want to buy, why not take a look at how the Garmin Incident Detection works.
Read more about fall detection technology:
- Emergency Response solutions
- How does fall detection work on Apple watches?
- How does fall detection work on Garmin watches?
- How does fall detection work on Fitbit watches?
- How does fall detection work on Samsung watches?
- Fall Detection Solutions for Seniors
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Last Updated on February 3, 2022
Brittany Collens is one of our top sports writers. She is also a professional tennis player which helps her authority on subjects such as health and fitness.
She has a degree in journalism and has previously written for well-established sports magazines in Massachusetts.
Brittany lives in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.