Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 — Everything Confirmed So Far (July 2026 Launch)

Samsung had a quiet 2025 on the wearables side. The Galaxy Watch Ultra got a new color and a storage bump to 64GB — that was it. No new chip. No new sensors. Fans were not happy, and Samsung knew it.

So when Qualcomm stepped on stage at MWC 2026 and publicly named Samsung as a launch partner for the new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor, it confirmed what a lot of people suspected: Samsung spent 2025 not launching so it could build something worth buying.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9 are confirmed and launching on July 22, 2026 — at a Samsung Unpacked event in London. Here's what we know.

Launch Date & Availability

Samsung has not officially confirmed a launch date, but Korean media outlets report a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, 2026, where the Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and Samsung's new foldable lineup are expected to be announced.

Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch Ultra last July 9, 2025 and put it on sale July 25 — a gap of 16 days. Following that same pattern, expect the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 to go on sale in early August 2026.

What's Not Coming: No Watch 9 Classic

Based on regulatory filings published as of June 15, 2026, no Classic model number has appeared in either the FCC database in the United States or the CMIIT database in China. Devices reach these databases only when hardware development is complete — so the absence of a Classic model number means one is very unlikely to launch alongside the Watch 9 and Ultra 2 in July.

The Big Story: Snapdragon Wear Elite Chip

Every Galaxy Watch since 2018 has run Samsung's in-house Exynos chip. That changes this year.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will likely come with the new, AI-tasks-focused Snapdragon Wear Elite processor. The processor was announced during MWC 2026 in Barcelona. Built on a 3nm process, the Snapdragon Wear Elite brings power and efficiency gains and is advertised as being able to run a 2 billion AI parameter model on-device — which should practically eliminate latency in AI interactions.

The chip introduces a big.LITTLE design for the first time in Qualcomm's wearable lineup: one prime core running at 2.1GHz handles demanding tasks, while four efficiency cores at 1.95GHz handle background workloads. Qualcomm claims this delivers 5x single-core CPU performance versus its previous wearable chip.

Does the Watch 9 also get the Snapdragon chip?

This is still unresolved. Some reports say both the Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 get the new chip. Others, including information from Notebookcheck, say only the Watch Ultra 2 gets the Snapdragon chip while the standard Watch 9 keeps the older Exynos W1000. Samsung has not confirmed either way.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — Specs & Features

Battery

Multiple leaks suggest Samsung is looking to increase the Ultra 2's battery capacity by around 30%, leaping up to around 800mAh — compared to 590mAh on the current Watch Ultra. Combined with the efficiency gains from the new chip, that could push battery life well past 60 hours.

One caveat: some regulatory filings have cast doubt on whether the full battery upgrade will happen. Samsung has not confirmed either way.

5G Connectivity

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is reported to become Samsung's first smartwatch with 5G connectivity — but only in select markets. US and South Korean models will get 5G, while Europe gets a 4G/LTE version alongside a Bluetooth + Wi-Fi only variant, which would be a first for the Ultra line.

The type of 5G matters here. The Ultra 2 is reported to use 5G RedCap — Reduced Capability — a narrowband 5G standard designed for wearables and IoT devices rather than smartphones. Unlike full 5G, RedCap prioritizes low power draw alongside lower latency, making cellular independence more practical in a battery-constrained device.

Display

The Ultra 2 is expected to keep its 47mm titanium "squircle" chassis with no major aesthetic overhauls. A brightness boost to around 4,000 nits is rumored, up from the current 3,000 nits peak — which would improve outdoor readability further.

Health Features

Features expected to return include dual-band GPS, heart rate monitoring, blood pressure readings, a safety siren, fall detection, and emergency SOS. Galaxy AI features including Energy Score, Functional Threshold Power, and advanced sleep monitoring with sleep stages, heart rate, blood oxygen, and snoring detection are also expected.

The one everyone is watching: multiple credible sources suggest the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 may include non-invasive glucose monitoring. If confirmed, this would be a first for any mainstream consumer smartwatch. Samsung has not confirmed this feature.

Expected Price

No pricing leaks yet. Based on the original Galaxy Watch Ultra's launch price of $649.99, most analysts expect the Ultra 2 to land at a similar price point — possibly slightly higher given the 5G upgrade.

Galaxy Watch 9 — Specs & Features

Sizes & Display

The Galaxy Watch 9 is confirmed in 40mm and 44mm variants. Display sizes are 1.34-inch on the 40mm model and 1.47-inch on the 44mm, both Super AMOLED with sapphire crystal.

Battery

The 40mm Galaxy Watch 9 is expected to carry around a 400mAh battery — a 23% increase on the same-sized Galaxy Watch 8. The 44mm model stays at 435mAh. That's not a dramatic jump, but with a more efficient chip driving the same cells, two-day battery life looks more achievable.

The Watch 8's biggest complaint was battery life — barely lasting a full day. Samsung is clearly trying to fix that.

Health & Software

The Watch 9 will likely come with Samsung's 3-in-1 BioActive sensor tracking heart rhythm, heart rate, and body composition. Blood pressure, ECG, skin temperature, and blood oxygen tracking are all expected to return.

The software will run One UI 9 Watch based on Wear OS 7 — based on Android 17. Google says Wear OS 7 delivers up to 10% better battery life than the previous version, and adds Live Updates, a Now Bar, redesigned widgets, and Gemini-powered features.

Samsung also updated the Health app ahead of the launch. On June 4, 2026, Samsung's Global Newsroom announced a major update to the Samsung Health app rolling out from June 8. Samsung says the update showcases the key health features of its upcoming Galaxy Watch. The app now centers on five areas: Sleep, Activity, Nutrition, Mindfulness, and Vitals — with Vitals checking five overnight signals against your baseline and alerting you only when something is genuinely off.

Expected Price

Pricing has not leaked. The Galaxy Watch 8 launched at $349 for the 40mm Bluetooth model. A price hike is possible given Samsung's broader 2026 pricing strategy across its lineup.

Galaxy Watch 9 vs Ultra 2 — Which Should You Wait For?

You should wait for the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 if you are an avid outdoor enthusiast or endurance athlete looking for a rugged smartwatch with next-generation cellular speeds and multi-day battery life. You should skip it if you already own the original Galaxy Watch Ultra — the design is nearly identical and the physical profile won't change.

You should wait for the Galaxy Watch 9 if you are upgrading from a Galaxy Watch 6 or earlier and want the new One UI Watch 9 software on Wear OS 7. You should not wait if you already own the Galaxy Watch 8 — leaks indicate the Watch 9 may reuse the same processor, meaning day-to-day performance will remain largely unchanged.

Confirmed FCC Filings

The Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 cleared both FCC and CMIIT certification in June 2026. The filings list model numbers SM-L340 and SM-L345 for the 40mm Watch 9, SM-L350 and SM-L355 for the 44mm Watch 9, and SM-L715 for the Watch Ultra 2. Both watches stick with 10W wired charging — no faster charging this generation.

Bottom Line

Samsung skipped a meaningful upgrade in 2025. The Watch 9 and Ultra 2 are the payoff. The Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, a massive battery jump on the Ultra 2, 5G connectivity, Wear OS 7, and a fully refreshed Samsung Health platform together make this the most significant Galaxy Watch refresh in years.

July 22, 2026 is the date to watch.