Technology
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Rumored release date, price and specifications
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch has become one of the most recognizable smartwatch brands you can buy.
Normally two new models are launched every year, and that was the case in 2023, with both the Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Classic impressing on many levels.
So what can we expect from the highly anticipated successors? Rumors suggest the lineup will return to its roots, but may also offer an all-new third model for the first time.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 range.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 be released?
If you’ll pardon the pun, Samsung has been extremely reliable with the release schedule for its Galaxy Watch range. For several years now, the latest iterations have made their debut in August:
With this in mind, we’re assuming the Watch 7 and Watch 7 Classic or Pro will arrive in August 2024.
However, it looks like Samsung is changing things up as SamMobile reports that the next Unpacked event will take place in July, possibly on July 10.
The watch is expected to be unveiled alongside the foldable Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 cost?
Samsung has slowly increased prices for its Galaxy Watch range in recent years.
The standard 40mm models start at around £300/$300, while the Pro or Classic (both premium editions of the watch) start at around £370/$400. These prices are in line with the competition, so we expect they will remain in a similar position to the Galaxy Watch 7 models.
This is how the previous generations were priced:
Galaxy Watch 6
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (40mm, Bluetooth) – $299.99/£289
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (40mm, LTE) – $349.99/£339
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (44mm, Bluetooth) – $329.99/£319
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (44mm, LTE) – $379.99/£369
Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (43mm, Bluetooth) – $399.99/£369
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (43mm, LTE) – $449.99/£429
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47mm, Bluetooth) – $429.99/£399
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47mm, LTE) – $479.99 £459
Galaxy Watch 5
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm, Bluetooth): $279.99 / £269
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm, LTE): $329.99 / £319
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (44mm, Bluetooth): $309.99 / £289
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (44mm, LTE): $359.99 / £339
Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (45mm, Bluetooth): $449.99 / £429
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (45mm, LTE): $499.99 / £479
Galaxy Watch 4
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 40mm (Bluetooth only) – $249/£249
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 40mm (4G) – $299/£289
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 44mm (Bluetooth only) – $279/£269
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 44mm (4G) – $329/£309
Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 42mm (Bluetooth only) – $349/£349
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 42mm (4G) – $399.99/£389
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm (Bluetooth only) – $379/£369
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm (4G) – $429.99/£409
With rumors of a Pro model in 2024, we wouldn’t expect prices to change too much compared to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
What specifications and features will the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 have?
At the time of writing, a possible release date for the Galaxy Watch 7 series is still several months away. Despite this, there are some major leaks and rumors about what to expect.
We’ve seen a few rumors suggesting what improvements the company is planning, so we’ve collected them here to provide some clues as to what the Galaxy Watch 7 has to offer.
The device has been spotted on the Bluetooth SIG database via SamMobile in its 40mm LTE model, intended for the US market. The model number, SM-L305U, matches what was expected.
The listing doesn’t reveal much, apart from the fact that it comes with Bluetooth 5.3 LE, the same version used in the Galaxy Watch 6.
Back to a square design?
According to a recent report from SamMobile, Samsung is reportedly considering a return to its square design roots for upcoming smartwatches. While it’s uncertain whether the Galaxy Watch 7 series will adopt this design, Samsung is internally excited about the idea.
If this turns out to be true, Samsung’s future smartwatches would resemble older smartwatches. As a reminder, the original Galaxy Gear had a square 1.6-inch Super AMOLED display (and a camera built into the band), which looked more like the current Apple Watch Series 9 than the round Galaxy Watch 6.
Samsung’s possible shift to a square design may provoke mixed reactions, as the round look has become synonymous with the Galaxy Watch series, despite its previous success with square smartwatches.
Pro instead of Classic…again
In recent years, Samsung has released the standard Watch model, plus a premium Classic or Pro version. The Classic is a more traditional watch style, with a rotating bezel that mimics some of the classic dive watches, while the Pro is a rugged version aimed at outdoor activities.
Samsung confirmed to PCMag in 2023 that the plan is to update each variant every two years, so the Watch 5 had a Pro model, while the Watch 6 has a Classic. This means we should see a Galaxy Watch 7 Pro this time around, while the Watch 6 Classic should remain on sale until it’s replaced next year.
Three different models
However, according to a recent rumorThe next Galaxy Watch 7 series will reportedly debut in three variants and not just in storage capacities. It’s said to be available in both Classic and Pro models, along with a third option that hasn’t been mentioned yet.
This third option could be the aforementioned rectangular Galaxy Watch. If these rumors turn out to be true, it would be a debut for Samsung and the first time that three different versions of its latest smartwatch have been released.
The trio of watches are expected to be identified by model numbers: SM-L300/L305, SM-L310/L315 and SM-L700/L705, with the latter believed to be the best option. Models ending in 5 are expected to support eSIM functionality.
Tracking sleep apnea
One feature Samsung announced in advance is that sleep apnea tracking is coming to the Samsung Galaxy Watch platform.
In a February 2024 post, the company stated that the sleep apnea feature on Galaxy Watch has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. It will be available via the Samsung Health Monitor app, which is only available on Samsung phones, suggesting it won’t be compatible with other Android handsets.
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which patients may stop breathing for short periods of time. This reduces sleep quality, but in more severe cases it can worsen cardiovascular disease. If you can monitor your sleep to see if you are experiencing apnea, it can be a huge step forward for your health and a good night’s sleep.
At the end of the announcement post, Samsung only confirms that the feature will be available in the US. Hopefully the release will expand to the UK and the rest of Europe soon.
New processor
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Classic are powered by Samsung’s own 5nm Exynos W930 chipset. It’s possible that Samsung will continue with it for another generation, as the performance is already pretty decent.
However, according to the Korean tech site NewDaily, Samsung will switch to a new 3nm chipset. This could be a new Exynos W940, although there is a possibility that Samsung switches to Qualcomm.
Regardless, the article suggests we could see up to a 30% improvement in performance and 50% better power consumption, with the latter helping battery life. Both would be very welcome on the new devices.
Larger storage
In addition, Samsung expects to double the storage capacity from 16GB to 32GB, via SamMobile, creating more space for offline music and applications.
There is no information on whether Samsung plans to increase RAM.
That’s all we’ve found so far, but we’ll continue to update this article as more details come to light. In the meantime, you might be interested in similar articles for the Apple Watch X and Google Pixel Watch 3.
