Samsung unveils new smartwatches
Samsung has announced two new smartwatches in London. The company made the announcement during its own Galaxy Unpacked event. We’ve just reported on the brand’s new foldables, which were also unveiled at this event. The new smartwatches are the successors to the Watch 8 and the Ultra: they are the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
Both watches feature the largest battery, the brightest screen and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset. According to Samsung, the watches offer maximum comfort 24 hours a day, whilst AI provides even more insights and personalised advice.
Both the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Ultra 2 utilise the updated BioActive sensor and AI features. These collect biometric data and translate it into clear recommendations. New features include:
- Heart Health Score, providing insights into your cardiovascular health.
- Daily Cardio Load, which helps you plan your workouts and recovery.
- Fitness Index, which allows you to track your overall fitness.
- Vitals, which monitors key vital signs whilst you sleep and alerts you to any notable abnormalities.
- Hearing, which alerts you to harmful noise levels.
- The existing Sleep Apnoea feature has been further enhanced and uses AI to detect potential breathing problems whilst you sleep. (Although this feature is only available in selected countries)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9
The Galaxy Watch 9 is designed for anyone who wants to track their daily health and activities. The watch features a sleek aluminium design, interchangeable straps and is designed to be worn comfortably day and night. Samsung is releasing the watch in two sizes: 40 mm and 44 mm. The watch features a 390 mAh battery and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits.
The smaller model has a 1.34-inch screen, whilst the larger model has a 1.47-inch screen; both feature sapphire crystal. It offers 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM. The watch runs on Wear OS 7, alongside the One UI 9 Watch skin, which is also found on the Ultra 2. The battery capacity is 390 mAh for the 40 mm version and 445 mAh for the 44 mm variant.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
For those who enjoy exercise and are keen to improve their performance, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is the watch for you. Among other features, it includes a new Trail Run function, which tracks elevation changes, climbing performance and different terrains. This gives you even greater insight into your running sessions. Also new is Nutrition Alert, which works in conjunction with the existing Sweat Loss feature. Based on your estimated fluid loss, the smartwatch advises you on when and how much you should drink during intense exercise.
Do you enjoy diving? If so, the Watch Ultra 2 also offers additional features. The watch has an IP69K rating, is water-resistant to 10 ATM and meets the EN13319 certification standard for dive computers. During a dive, data such as depth, dive time and water temperature are tracked in real time. Later this year, a special Ultra 2 Diving app, developed in collaboration with Mares, will also be released.
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with an 800 mAh battery, which, according to the company, offers 35 per cent more capacity than the previous generation. It is also the first Samsung smartwatch to feature the new Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset, which is designed to deliver faster performance and more accurate GPS measurements. It comes with 64GB of storage.
The screen has also received a significant upgrade. With a maximum brightness of 5,000 nits, the display remains clearly legible, even in bright sunlight. Despite the larger battery, Samsung says the case is now 12 per cent thinner, and new straps ensure greater comfort.
Availability
Samsung is launching pre-orders today, with the new watches available from 7 August. The prices are as follows:
- Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: €749
- Galaxy Watch 9 40 mm Bluetooth: €409
- Galaxy Watch 9 40 mm LTE: €459
- Galaxy Watch 9 44 mm Bluetooth: €439
- Galaxy Watch 9 44 mm LTE: €489
The watches will be available from:
