The new generation of watches – Samsung Mobile Press

Before smartwatches, everyone had only one reason to look at their watch. Today, telling the time is just one of countless smartwatch functions. People use smartwatches to tell the time, keep track of important health parameters, communicate with friends, choose watch faces for the day, and enjoy various content right on their wrist.

Samsung has followed the evolution of the Galaxy Watch series over the past decade – as the device transcended its traditional role and redefined what a watch means.

(2013) Samsung Gear S (2014)

(2015) Samsung Gear S2 (2016) Samsung Gear S3 (2017) Samsung Gear Sport

Thinking outside the box: A new era of smartwatch

Introduced in September 2013, the revolutionary Galaxy Gear brought the Galaxy experience closer to everyday life. The wearable device featured a 41.4-millimeter display that allowed users to make and receive calls, schedule events, set alarms, and check the weather using voice commands. Thanks to the 1.9-megapixel camera attached to the wristband and the ingenious Memographer function, photos and short videos could be taken without a smartphone. The Galaxy Gear was more than just a wristwatch, it paved the way for a new era of smartwatches.

Samsung launched the second generation of the Samsung Gear2 in February 2014. This device was lighter and thinner than its predecessor, had a longer-lasting battery, and had more features that could be used without a smartphone. The heart rate sensor allowed users to monitor their heart rate and track their exercise in real time, or turn the watch into a standalone music player with the built-in file storage. At the same time, the Samsung Gear2 Neo was introduced, giving consumers an additional option with all the features of the Samsung Gear2 except the camera.The Samsung Gear S, released in 2014, was Samsung’s first smartwatch with a large, curved Super AMOLED display that wrapped around the user’s wrist and supported 3G and Wi-Fi without a smartphone connection. The Samsung Gear S2, its successor in 2015, was Samsung’s first smartwatch with a round display and the rotating bezel that is now a trademark of the Galaxy Watch Classic range.

In 2016, Samsung launched the Samsung Gear S3, which made waves with its elegant design inspired by traditional watches and more innovative features that improved daily life. The Always On Display feature continuously displayed the time on the user’s wrist on the Super AMOLED display that supports 16 million colors. The device featured a built-in speaker and microphone, allowing users to take calls hands-free without a Bluetooth headset. At the same time, the GPS helped users record their exercise history or check routes on maps without having a smartphone.Samsung Gear Sport, the last model in the Samsung Gear series, offered a sporty design for people with an active lifestyle. With a water resistance of 5 ATM, the watch could be worn while swimming. Improved water resistance features included Water Lock Mode, which prevents accidental activation of the touchscreen in strong currents.

(2018) Galaxy Watch

(2019) Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch Active2

Galaxy Watch: A new partner for a balanced lifestyle

In August 2018, the Galaxy Watch series was born. This redesign reflected the diverse and ever-growing functions of a smartwatch in today’s world – as a health tracker, personal assistant, fashion accessory and more. To enhance the user experience and highlight Samsung’s smartwatch identity, the wearable retained the signature round bezel of previous models, but added an hourly alarm and a ticking sound of the second hand for the first time. Available in three colors and 42 and 46 millimeter sizes, this versatile device offered stress management and sleep management features to improve users’ health and well-being. Users could also track workouts from 39 different types of exercises, more than any other watch on the market at the time. Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch Active in February 2019, a new range of smartwatches designed specifically for users with an active lifestyle. This watch features a 28.1-millimeter Super AMOLED display and retains the typical round shape, but foregoes the bezel and uses aluminum to reduce weight by 25 grams. The 20-millimeter strap made of flexible fluoroelastomer offers fashion-conscious users a variety of ways to express their individuality. Health-conscious users, on the other hand, can track their exercise, sleep, stress levels and blood pressure in real time – they can even check how long they spent in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep compared to the other three sleep stages.In August 2019, the Galaxy Watch Active2 took personalized health and wellness management to the next level for people pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Along with the rotating bezel and other user experience improvements, the My Style feature offered users more stylish, customizable watch faces. The wearable was the perfect partner to help users lead a healthier and more balanced lifestyle through the improved stress and sleep management features, as well as the workout feature that allowed tracking of more than 39 different workout types. In addition, the improved Galaxy ecosystem improved connectivity and everyday convenience.

(2020) Galaxy Watch3

(2021) Galaxy Watch4

A new era: Integrated healthcare is here

After two years, Samsung brought the Galaxy Watch3 to health-conscious people in August 2020. The round stainless steel bezel remained, but users could choose between a larger 41- or 45-millimeter display with a lighter, thinner case. For the first time in Galaxy history, Samsung added an even lighter, stronger and more premium model made of titanium. The device offered an integrated health experience on the wrist with health, fitness, sleep management and blood pressure monitoring. In addition, Samsung introduced electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements and a blood oxygen feature to track oxygen saturation over time.

The Galaxy Watch4 series redefined the smartwatch experience in August 2021, with two models, the modern and minimalist Galaxy Watch4 and the more traditional Galaxy Watch4 Classic with the signature rotating bezel. The first-ever BioActive Sensor measured various health indicators such as blood pressure, ECG and blood oxygen saturation more accurately than the previous watch. Users who wanted more holistic insights into their health could measure their body composition by simply placing two fingers on the smartwatch to learn how to manage and achieve their health goals. The wearable featured the new Wear OS, co-developed with Google, allowing users to access a wider variety of applications. Meanwhile, the new One UI Watch update significantly improved the user experience by seamlessly connecting the watch with Samsung smartphones, wireless earbuds and other devices.

(2022) Galaxy Watch5

(2023) Galaxy Watch6

Above the wrist: A partner to get to know yourself better

In August 2022, Samsung opened the next chapter of smartwatches with the Galaxy Watch5 series. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro was newly introduced in this lineup and is optimal for outdoor sports. The more advanced Samsung BioActive Sensor improved the accuracy of body composition measurements, heart rate and ECG monitoring. In particular, a newly built-in temperature sensor on the Galaxy Watch5 provided skin temperature-based predictions that allowed women to conveniently track their menstrual cycle.

Samsung is once again standing by its health-conscious users with the Galaxy Watch6 series, which will be launched in July 2023. This wearable offers holistic health features to provide more personalized, innovative health solutions for users who want to better manage their health. The display is equipped with a narrower bezel and is about 20% larger than its predecessors to allow users to see more information at a glance. The Galaxy Watch6 features the typical circular design, while the Galaxy Watch6 Classic has a rotating bezel reminiscent of analog watches. A new button replaced the spring bar structure, allowing users to easily change their watch straps with a click.

With an even more sensitive BioActive sensor and a high-performance processor, health metrics have become more specialized – from sleep management and fitness coaching to heart health monitoring.

An AI-powered Galaxy Health experience and the next-generation watch
Samsung introduced the One UI 6 Watch in May 2024. With it, the company successfully transformed the Galaxy Watch into a fully digital health assistant that measures indicators such as heart rate, sleep patterns, and more. Health insights are more comprehensive and detailed than ever before, and users now receive personalized, AI-powered messages to motivate them to achieve their health goals. In addition, the upcoming Galaxy Watch series, launching in the second half of this year, will measure Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) with an updated BioActive Sensor that features light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in more colors and newly developed photodiodes.

Samsung is constantly expanding its horizons and will continue to do so. Each new wearable offers not only basic watch functions but also services that younger generations have come to expect. Aiming to become the closest partner that values ​​every exciting and precious moment in every user’s life, Samsung has been pushing the boundaries of the smartwatch for more than a decade – and the best is yet to come.