Samsung launches hand-washing app for Galaxy Watch

Your Samsung Galaxy Watch could help make hand-washing a habit. Samsung on Wednesday touted its new smartwatch app that aims to help improve hygiene as we adapt to life during the coronavirus. 

The app, which became available in April, will remind watch wearers to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day with an alarm. The alarm will sound every two hours but the intervals between hand-washing can be modified through the remind button in the app's settings.

 

Once you're at your sink, swiping up on the watch will start a 25-second timer — five seconds for applying soap and 20 for scrubbing. 

"While awareness has increased the importance of washing one's hands frequently and thoroughly, opinions can differ on what 'frequently and thoroughly' actually means in practice," Samsung said in a release on Wednesday. "This is why Samsung has developed an app to provide a clear guide on how, and how regularly, users should be washing their hands."

Samsung encourages wearers to wash their hands frequently throughout the day by citing a 2020 study by the University College London, which says washing your hands six to 10 times a day will lower the risk of infection, and the World Health Organization recommendation of washing your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Google Wear OS released a hand-washing app in April that features a similar alarm and timer. 

The app is available for download on the Galaxy Store for Gear S3, Gear Sports, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Watch Active, and Galaxy Watch Active 2.