Samsung just made its smartwatch lineup significantly more capable. At Galaxy Unpacked 2026 in London, the company announced the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2 alongside the Z Fold8 lineup, and both watches arrive with a chipset change that signals a meaningful shift in how Samsung builds its wearables going forward.
Both the Watch9 and Watch Ultra2 move to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite Platform, replacing the Exynos-based chips Samsung has used in previous Galaxy Watch generations. It’s the first time this platform has appeared in a Galaxy Watch, and it brings measurable improvements in processing speed, power efficiency, and AI capabilities all of which matter when a watch is running continuous health monitoring around the clock.
Galaxy Watch Ultra2
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is the headline device. Samsung is claiming the brightest smartwatch display ever produced, with peak brightness hitting 5,000 nits a number that should translate directly to better outdoor readability in direct sunlight, which has been a genuine pain point for premium smartwatches. The battery gets a significant boost too, with an 800mAh cell representing 35% more capacity than the previous Ultra. The impressive part is that Samsung achieved this while making the watch 12% thinner through internal redesign and component optimization.
The 47mm titanium body carries improved durability for extreme environments, a lighter redesigned band, and expanded outdoor features including improved GPS tracking, structured workout tools, and hydration alerts. A partnership with Mares is bringing diving-related experiences through a future update.
Galaxy Watch9
The Galaxy Watch9 covers the everyday market in 40mm and 44mm sizes, with the same Snapdragon Wear Elite Platform underneath. Samsung refined the comfort factor here with lighter, breathable straps designed for continuous wear important for sleep tracking and all-day health monitoring.
Pricing starts at $379.99 for the Bluetooth model and $429.99 with LTE, while the Ultra2 opens at $699.99.
| Model | Starting Price (US) |
|---|---|
| Galaxy Watch9 Bluetooth | $379.99 |
| Galaxy Watch9 LTE | $429.99 |
| Galaxy Watch Ultra2 | $699.99 |
AI-Powered Health Features
Health tracking is the software story across both devices. Samsung is moving toward what it’s calling proactive health management turning continuous biometric data into actual guidance rather than just numbers.
New features include Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, Fitness Index, improved sleep analysis, and AI-powered workout recommendations through Samsung Health. The goal is clearly to position these watches as health companions rather than fitness trackers, a framing that puts them in more direct competition with Apple Watch’s health-first positioning.
Availability
Pre-orders opened on July 22, with general availability beginning August 7 in select markets. The Snapdragon chipset move is the decision worth watching here; it marks a genuine platform shift for Samsung’s wearable strategy, and the performance and efficiency gains it enables will determine how competitive these watches feel against Apple Watch Series 11 when Apple’s fall lineup arrives.
Discover more from Phoonomo
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
