Update: August 6, 2021 (11:00 AM ET): We’ve updated the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 hub below with new leaked specs. Read on for all the latest!
Original article: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 was among the few smartwatches to challenge the Apple Watch Series 6 in 2020. Now, the Korean company’s flagship wearable is due for an upgrade, likely in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
See also: The best smartwatches you can buy
Rumors of the forthcoming wearable are gathering momentum. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of all the credible leaks and rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 so far. Be sure to bookmark this article and check in regularly for the latest.
Name and release date
Samsung has switched up its product naming schemes now and again, skipping numbers or adding errant letters to its smartphones’ titles. We don’t foresee that happening with its Galaxy Watch line, though. As the fourth iteration of its Galaxy smartwatch, we expect the device to be called the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
We also have become aware of a second variant of the watch, known as the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The two models will likely see very different designs. See the next section for more on that.
As for the release date, Samsung is confirmed to hold a Galaxy Unpacked event on August 11. It is practically guaranteed that we’ll see the Galaxy Watch 4 launch at this event. Samsung will also almost certainly launch two foldables on that date: the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Design
We now have leaked renders and even some real-world images of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. When we saw the first set of renders, we thought they were for the Galaxy Watch Active 4, but now we are almost certain that they are for the mainline Galaxy Watch.
Our verdict: Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 review | Galaxy Watch Active 2 review
You can see the first set of leaked renders below.
The lack of a rotating bezel — a signature aspect of the Galaxy Watch series up until this point — led us to think these were Active models. However, a second leak a few days later quashed that theory:
As you can see, these leaked press renders clearly show the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 branding. It’s possible, then, that there isn’t going to be an Active variant, at least not at first.
The renders suggest we could see two sizes:
- Galaxy Watch 4 (40mm) SM-R880
- Galaxy Watch 4 (44mm) SM-R890
In addition to the regular Galaxy Watch 4, we also expect to see a different model known as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Leaked renders suggest this would be the true follow-up to the Galaxy Watch 3, with a similar design ethos:
It’s tricky to tell if this model would feature a rotating bezel, one of the hallmark features of the Galaxy Watch line. It seems very likely, but we’ll need some more information before we can be sure.
We also have seen what appear to be real-world images of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. There’s a set you can see at the top of this section from 91Mobiles. There’s also an image below from an official Samsung video that’s unrelated to the watch — but it does appear to make a cameo:
Armed with all this info, there won’t be very many surprises left when Samsung does eventually launch this watch.
Specs and features
The leaked images in the previous section give us some hints on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4’s specs. We can see that there will likely be 5ATM water resistance, MIL-STD 810G durability, and onboard GPS. It could also have Gorilla Glass DX Plus, which we’ve seen on previous Galaxy Watches.
Most recently, we’ve seen a leaked set of specs that detail pretty much everything you’d want to know about the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. We expect the specs to be the same for both the Classic and the vanilla model, with only slight variations. Check them out below:
One interesting rumor we’ve heard is that the Galaxy Watch 4 lineup could see seven-day battery life. This would make the watches some of the best for longevity on the market, even surpassing the Apple Watch. However, we’re skeptical of this news.
According to another rumor, the Galaxy Watch 4 may introduce a new sensor to monitor body composition. The BIA sensor, or bioelectrical impedance analysis, would estimate the wearer’s body fat percentage, providing a broader overview of their general health.
It’s safe to expect the pulse oximeter, heart rate sensor, blood pressure monitoring, and ECG to make a return, though.
No Tizen for these watches
On June 28, Samsung revealed that the next Galaxy Watch would see the debut of Samsung’s and Google’s new wearable operating system, officially known as Wear OS 3. This OS will combine the best of Google’s Wear OS with the best of Samsung’s Tizen, creating a new platform.
Now, Samsung didn’t specifically say that the Galaxy Watch 4 would get this new OS. But we are certain the reference to the “next Galaxy Watch” is a clear reference to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
Samsung will also debut a skin on top of this new OS known as One UI Watch. There will be some cool new features for this including automatic app installs, settings and feature syncing across phone and watch, and a watch face developer console.
Thanks to SamMobile, we have some videos of how the interface could look. Check them out here.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Price and availability
Samsung seems acutely aware of its products’ pricing in 2021. This year, it launched the Galaxy S21 series at a lower base price than the S20 line. Arguably, this was necessary, but could this philosophy filter down to the company’s flagship smartwatch too?
Related: The best Samsung smartwatches you can buy
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 pricing started at $399, but the Galaxy Watch 4 won’t be as fancy. An errant listing on Canada’s version of Amazon suggests the vanilla Galaxy Watch 4 could be considerably less, possibly even $299. That would suggest the Classic model could land around $399, which makes a lot of sense.
As for availability, expect the Galaxy Watch 4 to be available to preorder on announcement day, with general sales commencing a week or two later.
That’s all we know about Samsung’s next flagship smartwatch for now. Be sure to bookmark this Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 hub as we’ll update it with new info regularly!