- Leaked code points to three new Galaxy Watch models
- They could all benefit from the Pixel’s “raise to speak” feature
- Users still worry about device battery life
We’re expecting successors to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic in the coming months, and a new leak gives us a better idea of which models to expect – as well as any of the features they might bring with them.
The Android Authority team found three smartwatch codenames buried in the latest Google Wear OS app for Android: Fresh 9 (most likely the Galaxy Watch 9, based on earlier codenames), Wise 9 (the Galaxy Watch 9 Classic), and Project V2 (possibly the highly anticipated Galaxy Watch Ultra 2).
Samsung’s smartwatch launches aren’t as easy to predict as those of its smartphones, and we don’t always get a Classic or Ultra addition. We’ve already seen a Pro model too: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, from 2022.
This goes some way to resolving the question of what we’re going to see, although it will be interesting to find out what the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 brings with it. The original Ultra debuted in 2024.
Get up to speak
The same dig into the Wear OS app code revealed something else: These upcoming Galaxy Watch models might well feature the “raise to talk” feature available on Google’s smartwatches, including the Google Pixel Watch 4.
Changes to the code, including a “3p” tag that could mean third party, suggest the feature won’t be a Pixel exclusive for much longer. It allows the user to raise their smartwatch to their head and Gemini will launch instantly, ready to receive voice commands.
When it comes to online reaction to Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch refresh, there’s approval of the current circular face design, but questions about battery life. Of the three rumored models, one Redditor says “none of them solve the reason I moved to Garmin” – the reason being weeks rather than days of battery life.
Another commenter suggests that “we don’t need annual releases of Samsung watches,” saying “they change very little from year to year.” Reddit’s approval or not, it looks like these wearables are on the way – and we’ll bring you all the details as soon as they arrive.
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