Samsung’s Unpacked event is scheduled for August 10th, and we’re looking at several new devices today. The event is expected to bring new versions of the company’s foldable phones, namely the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 , as well as Successor to Galaxy Watch 4.
Rumored to be called the Galaxy Watch 5, the upcoming smartwatch may come with the latest version of Wear OS software Samsung co-created with Google. If the rumors prove accurate, the Galaxy Watch 5 also addresses one major shortcoming: battery life.
Read more: Samsung Unpacked Live Blog: Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4 coming soon
I would like to see Samsung more fully committed to Google’s software and services. The Galaxy Watch 4 currently feels sandwiched between the Google and Samsung ecosystems, as my colleague Scott Stein wrote in his review . The watch eventually received the Google Assistant and other Google services, but those didn’t appear until a few months after launch.
Samsung hasn’t revealed its plans for its next-generation smartwatch, although the company typically unveils new wearables in August. We do expect a new foldable phone to be announced, though. In fact, to encourage people to pre-order the phone early, from July 19th to August 10th,Samsung is offering an extensive list of discounts based on different bundles , from up to $200 off pre-orders of Galaxy phones, watches, and headphones to as low as $30 off pre-orders just for Galaxy headphones. While this may hint at what Unpacked is about to launch, the savings could apply to older Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds models.
Based on leaks, this is our best guess at what Samsung might be planning and the company’s previous announcements.
Possible August Announcement
Only Samsung knows when the next Galaxy Watch will arrive. But the company has a history of launching new wearables in August alongside other new products. For example, the Galaxy Watch 4 debuted in August last year, while the Galaxy Watch 3 launched in August 2020. Samsung has launched a new product for 2022, from the Galaxy S22 series to the cheaper Galaxy S21 FE , the new Laptops and Tablets . One thing we haven’t heard of yet is a smartwatch, so it’s possible that Samsung is saving that for its typical August Unpacked event.
Faster charger
Galaxy Watch 5 may be equipped with faster The charger is a 10W charger, up from the 5W charger that came with previous Samsung watches. An image of an alleged 10W Galaxy Watch 5 charger popped up on the SnoopyTech Twitter account on Aug. 1 (h/t BGR), which can reportedly reach a 45% charge in 30 minutes.
Faster charging has become cross-platform A highlight of several smartwatches, including Apple Watch Series 7 and Fossil Gen 6 . This is especially important as the watch has also become a sleep tracking tool, and earlier this year Samsung introduced its Sleep Animals system for assessing sleep quality while wearing the Galaxy Watch 4.
Bigger battery than Galaxy Watch 4
Galaxy Watch 4’s One of the downsides is its relatively short battery life, which usually lasts a day or two. Galaxy Watch 5 is subject to change. Tech blog Sam Mobile claims it found a regulatory filing that suggests the 40mm Galaxy Watch 5 will have a slightly higher battery capacity than the Galaxy Watch 4. Samsung declined to comment on the report.
Longer battery life will make the Galaxy Watch 5 a more capable sleep tracker because you may not have to charge it every night. It will also help Samsung catch up to Fitbit in this regard as its Sense and Versa 3 The watch can be used for several days on a single charge. Battery life was one of the Galaxy Watch 4’s biggest downsides in CNET’s testing , so an improvement would be a welcome change.
Bigger battery could make Galaxy Watch 5 a better sleeper than Galaxy Watch 4 Tracker (pictured above) as you probably won’t have to charge it as often.
Scott Stein/CNET
It might measure Your temperature
The Galaxy Watch 4 can already monitor metrics like your body composition, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate. According to South Korean news outlet ETNews, Samsung may further its health ambitions by adding the ability to measure body temperature in the Galaxy Watch 5. The report doesn’t offer many details, other than to say that Samsung “designed a technology that measures body temperature as accurately as possible.” Samsung declined to comment on ETNews’ report.
But Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at Tianfeng International Securities, known for his predictions about Apple products, is skeptical of the development. He suggested that “algorithmic limitations” could prevent Samsung from bringing this feature to the Galaxy Watch 5.
( 3/3)
– Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) May 1, 2022
Temperature sensing is not new to wearables. Oura’s eponymous health ring measures the temperature of the finger to help detect possible changes in the body. Fitbit devices like the Sense and Versa 3 can also detect temperature.
Oura’s health ring measures temperature.
Scott Stein/CNET
If Samsung does add temperature sensing to its next smartwatch, then Will be another sign that wearables have become comprehensive health and wellness devices. Metrics such as blood oxygen saturation measurements are now relatively common on wearables from Apple, Fitbit, Samsung, and Garmin.
Samsung may drop the classic model
Galaxy Watch 4 comes standard Edition and Classic, but that may change with the Galaxy Watch 5. According to Sam Mobile, Samsung will launch the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. According to reports, the regular Galaxy Watch 5 comes in two sizes, while the Pro version may be limited to one size. It’s unclear if Samsung will bring the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic’s rotating bezel to the Galaxy Watch 5 or 5 Pro, the report said. While the blog didn’t specifically share more details on what to expect from the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the new branding could indicate a major update, not just one.
Well-known leaker Evan Blass also hinted that Samsung’s next watch will come in standard and “pro” models. When he shared what he claimed to be official renders of the device on tech blog 91Mobiles, he dubbed the new watches the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
Drew Evans/CNET
According to leaks from Blass and 91Mobiles, the Galaxy Watch 5 is expected to feature a circular design similar to the Galaxy Watch 4. Blass says the Pro model will be available in black or gray titanium, while Samsung will reportedly offer a wider color lineup for the standard version. 91Mobiles leaks show the so-called Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in black and titanium grey and the so-called Watch 5 in white, blue and black.
Samsung hasn’t released any details on its next smartwatch. But since the Galaxy Watch 4 runs on Wear OS, its successor seems to work too. Google and Samsung have collaborated on the new Wear OS, which means Samsung is likely working on using the software in its future smartwatches. Sam Mobile’s report also claims that the watch will have a new version of One UI, which is Samsung’s version of Google’s software customized for the watch.
Samsung is the first to launch a smartwatch running on Google’s new Wear OS. But with the new Wear OS expected to appear on watches from other companies such as TicWatch, Fossil and Google Fitbit brand . Google’s Pixel Watch will also be available this fall.
Read more: This is one Samsung can use for One-Up Apple Features
What do we want from the Galaxy Watch 5
Longer battery life and new health tracking features are always welcome. But the software we really want for the Galaxy Watch 5 is to make it feel more fully part of the Google ecosystem. The Galaxy Watch 4 feels conflicted between Google and Samsung. Yes, it has the Google Play app store and other Google apps. But the setup process and health tracking still rely heavily on Samsung’s apps.
The company is addressing this by bringing Google Assistant to its app. watch. But we expect to see tighter Google integration in the next release, which will really make the Galaxy Watch 5 feel like the ultimate Android smartwatch.
For more info, check out all the rumors we’ve heard about Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4. Also, there are the best smartwatches you can buy this year and our foldable phone wish list .
