Samsung is thought to be putting the finishing touches to the latest iteration of its smartwatch. Here’s all we’ve discovered so far about what the Korean giant might be planning with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 be released?
We haven’t had any confirmation from Samsung yet on when the latest version of its wearable will arrive. Thankfully, the past few generations have made their debuts like clockwork. Sorry. Taking their release dates into account, we think it’s very likely the Galaxy Watch 6 will launch in August 2023.
Here’s when the previous models were unveiled:
Looks like August then, probably alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, and Galaxy Tab S9.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 cost?
As with the release date, there’s no word from Samsung yet about the potential asking price of the Galaxy Watch 6. But, again, we can examine the previous generations to give us some clues on what to expect.
Here’s how the baseline models of the Watch generations lined up:
Watch 5
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm) – $279/£269/€299
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (44mm) – $309/£289/€329
Watch 4
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (40mm) – $249/£249/€269
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (44mm) – $279/£269/€299
Watch 3
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 (41mm) – $399/£399/€429
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 (45mm) – $449/£439/€499
Prices have held reasonably steady over time, even including the bump many European countries experienced last year, so we think it’s likely that the 40mm variety holds at under three hundred, while the larger model just tips over those scales.
There are other models that have graced the catalogue in recent years, including the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. These usually have more advanced features or construction, which may appeal to those who want the ultimate smartwatch. The usually boast a more expensive price tag too, as you can see below:
They both released around the same time as the main Watch models, so it’s likely we’ll see either a Pro or Classic model this year too – and further down you’ll find some hints as to which one you should expect.
What new features will we see in the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6?
We haven’t had any official confirmation about the technical specifications of the Galaxy Watch 6, but a few rumours have already pointed to what we might see in August.
Bigger display
Ok, it might not sound like much, but tech leaker Ice Universe posted recently on Twitter that the Watch 6 will have a larger display, including improved resolution.
The current screen size of the Galaxy Watch 5 is 1.4in, so we’re talking a 0.7in increase. Of course, it’s all a matter of scale, and with the tiny panels on smartwatches those small increments can be more significant than you might think. You won’t be watching Hollywood blockbusters on your wrist, but navigating the interface may be a bit nicer with that little extra space and improved resolution.
Ice Universe also reported that the new watch could feature a curved glass display and slimmed down bezels, possibly taking it into the design realm of the Pixel Watch.
Bigger battery
Dutch tech site GalaxyClub has reported that the batteries in the Watch 6 will be slightly larger capacities than in their predecessors. In the leaked images it found, the 40mm watch looks like it will increase from 284mAh to 300mAh, while the 44mm variant will move from 410mAh to 425mAh. How this will affect the amount of time you can use the Watch before it powers down remains to be seen, but any improvement in battery length for smartwatches is always welcome.
New processor
Not to be left out, the processor department is about to get some love, according to a report by SamMobile. The site states that the Exynos W920 chip that has powered the Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 series will be upgraded to an Exynos W980 in the Galaxy Watch 6, bringing with it up to 10% improvement in performance plus more powerful health tracking features.
Return of the Classic, demise of the Pro
GalaxyClub also wrote that while investigating the battery improvements mentioned above, the codenames and capacities it discovered seems to point towards the potential return of the Watch Classic model last seen with the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. This was a more refined design which featured traditional watch styling and a physical rotating bezel.
When the Watch 5 series launched, this was dropped in favour of a Pro model aimed at outdoors activities and boasting tougher construction, a larger display and a huge battery. Now, at least at the time of writing, it looks like Samsung is intending to return to the Watch 4 line-up. This could of course be smoke and mirrors or the simple fact that the battery for the Watch 6 Pro hasn’t been spotted yet.
That’s all we know so far. Keep checking back, as we’ll continue to update this article when new information appears. In the meantime, be sure to check out our guide to the best smartwatches to see what the Samsung Watch 6 will have to overcome.