Samsung has been notorious for offering apps exclusive to its Galaxy devices in an attempt to build its own ecosystem. S Health was one of those apps, but the company has decided to make it available to all phones running Android 4.4 KitKat or higher. Considering the announcement that the Gear S2 will work on non-Galaxy Android phones, this news isn’t surprising.
While most Samsung apps don’t get a lot of praise, S Health just might be its most underrated app. S Health is a very comprehensive fitness and health app that can work with the sensors on your smartphone without the need for a wearable device.
S Health will keep track of your steps, workouts, heart-rate (if your phone is equipped with a sensor), and calories, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
The app includes a virtual coach that can help you achieve your goals based on the information you share with it. You can even choose to hear voice guidance from this “personal coach” during a workout to help you stay at the desired pace.
If dieting is your thing, than you will love the in-depth database of foods. You can quickly enter your meals and find out how many calories you have consumed.
All of this can be done without a wearable, but S Health will import data from the new Gear S2 and other third-party wearables as well. Unfortunately, Android Wear isn’t supported, and this is a downer because S Health is actually a more complete app than Google Fit. However, S Health is going to be attractive to those who don’t own a wearable, which is the majority of smartphone owners.
S Health also supports over 70 languages, including English, French, and Chinese.
Click here to download S Health from Google Play.