Samsung is soon due to launch another entry in its premium smartwatch series – here’s all that we know about the Galaxy Watch 5.
Samsung tends to release a new smartwatch every year, and it seems like another new one is in the works for 2022. We’ve been highly impressed with previous entries in the Galaxy Watch series, which are among the best smartwatches that we’ve tested, so we have equally high hopes for this newest addition to the line-up. Read on to learn all we know about it so far.
Release Date
Samsung has announced that it will be holding an Unpacked Event on August 10 at 2PM BST. This will likely include the reveal of the Z Flip 4 foldable, but there’s every chance we could also see the Galaxy Watch 5 revealed alongside the new foldable phones.
Samsung has set a strong pattern with previous releases, so it’s reasonable to assume that it will arrive around August. Just take a look at when these previous entries in the series first made their debuts:
- Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2: September 2019
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: August 2020
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: August 2021
Price
Obviously there’s not yet been any official word yet on the price, but the Galaxy Watch 4 cost £249/$249/€279 and so we would presume that the new wearable will appear at roughly the same price point. If rumours leading up to launch indicate a much greater feature set then that estimate may be revised upwards, but for the time being we don’t have reason to believe that a big price hike is on the way.
Design
We got our first good look at the appearance of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 thanks to Evan Blass, an in-the-know twitter tipster, who revealed its alleged appearance with renders including the following:
As you can see, it looks very similar in appearance to last year’s watch, with very few differences immediately visible. Apparently the device will run wearOS 3.5 software, overlaid with Samsung’s OneUI Watch 4.5 interface.
However, fans of the Galaxy Watch series may be disappointed to hear that the fifth edition may do away with one of the collection’s most recognisable features, namely the digital rotating bezel. This ergonomic enhancement was highly praised at the time, not least by our reviewer Tom Deehan, who described it as being “so intuitive that any scepticism melted away in seconds… In fact, it works so well that I’m now wondering why more manufacturers haven’t jumped on the feature already.”
We’ll be disappointed by the loss of this feature, which was a nice distinguishing factor from rivals such as the Apple Watch Series 7. However, the source for this change is SamMobile, which is frequently reliable on all things to do with Samsung.
Specifications
So far, there are relatively few rumours circulating about the forthcoming wearable’s specifications, but what we have heard has been reasonably encouraging.
For starters, there’s evidence that a temperature sensor will be installed on the new watch. According to the Korean source ET News this new function will measure your skin temperature, which is a particularly important health indicator for feverish symptoms and the female ovulation cycle.
On top of that, SamMobile has revealed information that points to a battery increase on the new series of watches. In a regulatory filing, it was uncovered that the new wearable is set to have a battery capacity of 276mAh, which would represent a modest upgrade on the 247mAh battery you’ll find in the 40mm edition of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
Additionally, this site also claims that there could be a Pro version of the Galaxy Watch 5, which would be a first in the series. This edition would apparently boast an even bigger 572mAh battery, though it’s worth noting that this model is apparently “not 100% confirmed” at this stage, so it may be best to treat this rumour with a healthy dose of scepticism.
This Pro version may apparently focused towards a more outdoorsy audience, so it may be more rugged than the other.
Reliable Samsung leaker Ice Universe in fact claims that the new device will be able to last “at least 3 days”, which would be good going by the standards of the Galaxy Watch.
What’s more, there is also good news when it comes to topping that battery up again. With a new 10W charging dock that’s connected by USB-C, it will apparently take just over one hour for the wearable to get fully juiced up.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
