Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Leaked Ahead of July 9 Launch: Design to Price, Everything to Know

Samsung will hold an event in New York to unveil its next smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 8, alongside its foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, on July 9. However, a new leak has revealed almost everything about Samsung’s smartwatch hours before the launch. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 could feature a redesign and pack upgrades in specifications as the South Korean company gears up to counter Apple’s upcoming Watch lineup later this year.

What to expect from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?

According to the French website Dealabs (via 9to5Google), the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series comprises three models: Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, and Watch Ultra. The South Korean company has tweaked the design of the upcoming smartwatches, making them look slightly different from their previous versions. However, these are not major changes, which is a good thing as Samsung appears to be building a design language for its modern smartwatches.

The redesign also includes enhanced straps: the Galaxy Watch 8 may continue with a silicone band but in new colours, the Watch 8 Classic may feature a “Premium Hybrid Strap,” combining leather and silicone or rubber in the strap, and the Watch Ultra could come with an “Extreme Sports Bracelet” strap, which could be similar to last year’s version except having a new colour.

Specifications-wise, Samsung is expected to optimise the hardware across models. However, these will not be major upgrades. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Watch models may now feature a new Exynos W1000 chipset, with the Classic and Ultra variants expected to offer 64GB as the standard storage. The base Galaxy Watch 8 may continue with 32GB of storage. It may also continue to have just the Bluetooth option, while the Classic and Ultra models could offer 5G or LTE variants for cellular connectivity.

That said, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 could be the only model to feature a display upgrade. The leak suggests a larger 1.34-inch display for the 40mm version and a 1.47-inch display for the 44mm version, featuring a Super AMOLED panel with a maximum brightness of 3000 nits. These versions may also pack bigger 325mAh and 435mAh batteries, respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and Watch Ultra will reportedly retain their 1.34-inch and 1.47-inch Super AMOLED 3000-nit displays from their predecessors. The Classic may pack a 445mAh battery, while the Ultra model may use a 590mAh battery. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic could continue using stainless steel with sapphire glass, while the Galaxy Watch Ultra would still use titanium.

How much will they cost?

Despite incremental upgrades, the next Galaxy Watch series is expected to see a price hike of roughly 20 per cent. The report suggests the Galaxy Watch 8 may start at €379.99, the Classic model at €529.99, and the Ultra may be priced at €699.99.

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