As the weeks roll by, we’re getting a better idea of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 – and references hidden in the latest beta version of the Samsung Health app have revealed more about the wearables that are coming later this year.
These references were spotted by 9to5Google (opens in new tab) and perhaps the most significant of the bunch is the reference to the Pro model of the smartwatch. There’s no mention of a Classic edition, so it looks as though we’re going to get a Galaxy Watch 5 and a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, with a launch expected in August.
Previous leaks hinted that Samsung would release standard, Classic and Pro models of the Galaxy Watch 5, but we might be down to two now. That does tie in with another rumor that was doing the rounds based on conversations with sources inside Samsung.
Bye bye rotating bezel
With the Samsung Health app beta showing a list of compatible smartwatches, we can see that the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic could be the last wearable with that particular branding – and that might mean the demise of another popular Galaxy Watch feature.
The rotating bezel is a handy way of controlling apps and menus on the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, but recent leaks have suggested that it’s going to be dropped from the 2022 range. There’s nothing in these new revelations from the Samsung Health app beta to suggest otherwise, either.
All of which means that we’ll be getting a new Pro model this time around but some of the useful functionality will be disappearing from the range. At least we can console ourselves with the news that battery life may be improved this time around.
Analysis: Samsung prepares for the Pixel Watch
As it approaches the fifth generation of its flagship wearables, Samsung is now hugely experienced in putting out these watches. However, there’s something slightly different about the 2022 launches, and that’s the imminent arrival of the Google Pixel Watch.
With phones such as the Pixel 6 Pro, Google has been trying to take some market share away from Samsung while also staying on friendly terms with the company as one of its Android hardware partners. Now the same scenario is opening up as Google and Samsung go head-to-head in smartwatches.
Don’t forget that Samsung switched back to Wear OS with the Galaxy Watch 4 devices, and that means that Android users wanting a smartwatch are going to have a direct choice between Samsung and Google. Google will be hoping that spurs Samsung on to make even better Wear OS hardware, which in the end would be good for everyone.
We’re not entirely sure when the Google Pixel Watch is going to go on sale, but October is a decent bet. That gives Samsung a couple of months to make a good impression with its own smartwatches before some new competition arrives on the scene.