Latest news with #Xealth
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Samsung backs 'connected care' to mend broken health systems
Samsung Electronics is betting that digital and connected care will be able to mend broken healthcare systems as it seeks to expand its reach in a category beyond its core businesses. The South Korean company, in the lead-up to its Unpacked event last week, announced its acquisition of Xealth, a Seattle-based provider of digital health tools, for an undisclosed amount. The move, Samsung says, will help its connected care ambitions and help to bridge a 'holistic approach to preventive care to as many people as possible'. Scaling connected care is expected to be the next step in the future of health that would help fix broken healthcare systems, industry executives said at a forum on the sidelines of Unpacked. 'Health care is broken and part of the main reason it's broken is … [that] the incentives are misaligned. We know this from our everyday habits; if we are incentivising our kids to do the right things, they will do more of the right things,' Dr Rasu Shrestha, chief innovation and commercialisation officer of Charlotte-based health care provider Advocate Health, said at the forum. 'But if the incentives are misaligned, then the entire system starts to fall apart. So the opportunity here is … a connected ecosystem of devices and data really going after the dignity of those patients and consumers in a much more connected way.' Research suggests that while conservative care works, it is inconvenient, hard to access and expensive, said Jim Pursley, president of Hinge Health, a Chicago-based software developer. But technology can address this. 'The [good] thing with digital health in general is we've operated historically independent of institutional health care, independent of an advocate,' he said. Mr Pursley mentioned how tech has transformed the banking industry, with lenders able to provide on-demand services through devices, most notably through smartphone apps. 'The next decade of innovation is … to show that we can integrate with traditional in-person care to create a unified experience for patients, like banking,' he added. Global investments in the digital health sector hit more than $25 billion last year, a 5.5 per cent annual rise and reversing two consecutive years of a funding drop, according to data from Galen Growth, a Singapore-based industry tracker. Samsung is focusing on health and the division has been active in research and development, in addition to signing partnerships and acquisitions to expand its reach. It is linking up with start-ups to develop health services on its Galaxy smartphones and smartwatches. Samsung's AI push will help its strategy, and further expanding into health care will continue to remain a priority, said Dr Hon Pak, head of Samsung's digital health unit. 'I do feel that in 10 years, We're finally going to get to a point where health care is not about surviving – it's about thriving [using technology],' added Mr Pursley. 400 million Galaxy devices in 2025 Meanwhile, Samsung's plan to distribute 400 million Galaxy devices in 2025 is expected to be boosted by a push into ambient AI, a separate forum heard at Unpacked. That would double the current reach of Galaxy devices, TM Roh, head of Samsung's mobile division, said at the event. Ambient AI, which combines data analysis, machine learning, data analytics and natural language processing with humanlike behaviour, aims to provide personalised experiences. In health care, that can translate to improved patient care, operational efficiency and information extraction, according to the Morsani College of Medicine. 'Some see AI as the start of a 'post smartphone' era, but we see it differently: the smartphone is becoming even more central to an ambient AI experience,' said Jisun Park, a corporate executive vice president at Samsung. In addition, AI becoming more personalised needs a commitment to protect user information, and ambient AI's privacy, performance and personalisation 'go hand in hand, [as] they are not competing priorities, but co-equal standards', added Vinesh Sukumar, vice president of product management at US chipmaker Qualcomm Technology.
Korea Herald
11-07-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Samsung to launch AI Health Coach beta in US by year-end
Samsung Electronics is set to unveil a beta version of its AI Health Coach through the Samsung Health app in the US, marking a significant AI-driven push to deliver medical guidance at home. At the Galaxy Tech Forum held in New York on Thursday, Samsung introduced the new feature, which uses AI to analyze users' daily health data collected from wearable devices and provide personalized health care guidance. 'We will release a beta version of the AI Health Coach that supports users in implementing doctors' recommendations through Galaxy Watch and mobile devices,' said Park Heon-soo, head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung. The feature will initially launch in the US by the end of the year, with no release date yet announced for Korea. According to Samsung, it will be integrated into the Samsung Health app as a chatbot, connecting wearable devices with broader health care infrastructure. Park emphasized the importance of digital health care solutions that go beyond clinical visits. 'When patients see a doctor, they receive prescriptions — such as losing weight, taking medication, or monitoring blood pressure — but often fail to follow through once they return home. Helping people adhere to those prescriptions in daily life is where digital health begins,' he said. Samsung also plans to integrate an AI-powered health insight engine into its platform. It will analyze users' health data, including medical records, to provide comprehensive insights. If abnormalities are detected, the system will deliver optimized coaching via a generative AI chatbot. To protect sensitive personal data, Samsung will adopt a hybrid privacy strategy that processes information both on-device and in the cloud. 'We will use a hybrid approach that processes personal data on the device while leveraging the cloud for enhanced performance,' Park said. 'Users will be given the option to choose which data stays on the device and what can be shared to the cloud.' For monetization, Samsung is considering business-to-business models, including collaboration with Xealth to create revenue streams, as well as subscription-based or bundled services. Earlier this week, Samsung announced its acquisition of Xealth, a US-based digital health care company. With this acquisition, Samsung aims to integrate its Samsung Health platform to create a unified digital health ecosystem that bridges wellness and clinical data.
Engadget
08-07-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Samsung buys Xealth to integrate its wearables into the healthcare system
Samsung is making a bigger push into healthcare . It is buying Xealth, a platform focused on digital health tools and care programs. Terms of the deal, such as the purchase price, haven't been disclosed. Samsung expects the acquisition to be wrapped up by the end of the calendar year, pending closing conditions (such as any necessary regulatory approvals). Samsung says the deal will help to advance its "transformation into a connected care platform that bridges wellness and medical care bringing a seamless and holistic approach to preventative care to as many people as possible." That involves creating "synergy" between its wearable tech and Xealth's platform by bringing together health data measured on its devices and clinical records at hospitals. Samsung says the integration can "create a link between home health monitoring and clinical decision-making through enhancements to Xealth's platform, with the provider-patient relationship at the center of that effort." Xealth enables doctors to monitor and schedule care for patients at scale. More than 500 hospitals in the US and 70-plus "digital health solution partners" use Xealth, which spun out of the Providence health system. All of those will be able to access Samsung's platform. News of the Xealth acquisition comes just a couple of weeks after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr spoke of his desire to have every American sporting a wearable within the next four years, a vision that led to raised eyebrows from critics . While Samsung may be sniffing an opportunity there, its acquisition of Xealth may have been in the works for some time. In any case, it's clear that Samsung is looking to diversify beyond its core businesses. What's more, Samsung announced the Xealth deal on the same day it projected a 56 percent drop in operating profit for the second quarter (compared with the same April-June period in 2024). This is, in large part, because of poor sales of its AI chips .
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Samsung acquires US-based health tech company Xealth
Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday it had signed an agreement to acquire Xealth, a U.S.-based healthcare platform, as part of its efforts to expand its mobile healthcare services business. The South Korean company did not disclose the value of the transaction. Samsung said the two companies hoped to create "synergy between Samsung's advanced wearable technology and Xealth's digital health platform" which runs digital health programs and manages data linking care providers, including more than 500 U.S. hospitals, with their patients. The acquisition comes as Samsung steps up efforts to diversify beyond its core semiconductor and smartphone businesses. Samsung has been betting on the medical sector as one of its new growth engines, along with consumer audio, cooling and heating systems, and robotics. In May, Samsung Electronics agreed to buy Germany's FlaktGroup for 1.5 billion euros ($1.68 billion) as it looks to meet growing demand for cooling of data centres used for artificial intelligence projects. Samsung, led by Chairman Jay Y. Lee, said at a shareholder meeting in March that it was looking for "meaningful" deals this year to drive growth after having lagged rivals in tapping the AI chip boom led by Nvidia. Samsung earlier on Tuesday projected a far worse-than- expected 56% plunge in second-quarter operating profit due to weak AI chip sales, deepening investor concerns over the tech giant's ability to revive its struggling semiconductor business.
Korea Herald
08-07-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Samsung to acquire US digital health firm Xealth in connected care push
Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it has signed an agreement to acquire Xealth, a US-based digital health care company, in a move to strengthen its connected care services across wearable devices, including Galaxy smartphones, smartwatches and the Galaxy Ring. The acquisition marks a significant step in Samsung's long-term vision for Samsung Health, which aims to integrate wellness and medical care to help Galaxy users manage their health in daily life and prevent disease. Founded in 2016 as a spinoff from the major US hospital group Providence Health System, Xealth has established itself as a leading digital health care platform. The company partners with over 500 hospitals, as well as more than 70 specialized digital healthcare solution companies in fields such as diabetes, pregnancy and post-surgical care. Xealth offers a platform that enables physicians to assess a patient's health status comprehensively and prescribe or recommend appropriate digital health solutions. Medical professionals can also monitor patients' conditions in real time. Under the deal, Samsung plans to link biometric data collected from its wearables directly to professional medical services via the Xealth platform. The company also aims to expand the digital health care ecosystem by integrating the platform with smart home appliances to deliver tailored health solutions. The tech giant expects to finalize the acquisition by the end of the year. 'Samsung aims to improve the health of everyone through our extensive platform combining Samsung's innovative technologies and open collaboration with industry leaders,' said Roh Tae-moon, acting head of the device experience division at Samsung Electronics. 'We believe the acquisition of Xealth, with its accumulated expertise and extensive health care network, will be an anchor to accelerate Samsung's efforts to support health systems and digital health partners through truly connected care.' The latest acquisition is part of Samsung's broader push into future growth sectors. Other recent deals include Rainbow Robotics, Oxford Semantic Technologies, Sonio, Roon, Masimo's audio division and FlaktGroup.
