We’re only two months into the year, and Samsung has already dropped two big debuts, including a triple surprise reveal and new range of flagship Galaxy phones. Now, a new wave of Galaxy Watch rumors is starting to take shape.
Last year, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 debuted a controversial redesign, making the return of the Galaxy Watch Classic and its visible rotating bezel even more satisfying. This year, a new Classic model seems unlikely (although another redesign is completely off the table). But there may be another title ready to steal the attention from the flagship as well.
A report from GalaxyClub cited by Android Authority suggests that Samsung may launch the new Galaxy Watch Ultra alongside the Galaxy Watch 9, around the summer of 2026.
The rugged smartwatch, which debuted in the summer of 2024, received a few updates in the last cycle, such as larger storage (up to 64GB) and a new color, but otherwise remained the same.
This year’s version, likely to be called the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, may retain the same design. At 47mm, the Ultra is already pushing the boundaries of wrist real estate. While the rotating bezel borrowed from the Classic line is interesting, it feels like a tough sell for a rugged, travel-oriented watch.
The next Galaxy Watch Ultra may use the rotating bezel from the old one.
It opens up new health metrics
In fact, the Ultra 2 could bring a new processor and improved sensors focused on deep health tracking. Last year’s most notable addition was Samsung’s antioxidant indicator, which can detect nutrient-related symptoms through the skin’s surface area. This year, Samsung may delve into skin-based discovery, with extensive nutritional information and potentially invasive glucose monitoring — one of the long-term “holy grails” of wearable health technology that may finally show progress.
Battery and processor
One of the main advantages of the original Ultra was the battery life, which lasted about 2.5 days per charge, compared to 30 to 40 hours for the flagship Galaxy Watch 8. Both the Watch 9 and the Ultra 2 are expected to receive a new processor, which could mean better performance, longer battery life, or perhaps a dual-chip-chip-chip in the processes of the low-power domain that separates the low-power domain of the same manufacturer. seen on the OnePlus Watch 3. If Samsung pulls that off, it could bring its system closer to the multi-day endurance of rivals like the Huawei Watch 5 and OnePlus Watch 3.
AI health coaches are coming to wearables and could feature prominently in the next Galaxy Watch.
More AI and less dependence on the phone
Improved processing power could also unlock more on-device AI features, especially as health coaching and AI-enabled insights continue to emerge in wearables. Satellite connectivity is another possibility, following similar additions to the Apple Watch Ultra and Pixel Watch.
This is all speculation at this point, but it’s exciting to see the next Galaxy Watch series starting to take shape based on early industry signals.
Watch this: Galaxy Watch 8 vs. Classic vs. Ultra: Which Should You Buy?
