Samsung is preparing a major software update for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, launched four years ago. This series, the first Samsung Wear OS-based smartwatches, is receiving the One UI 8 update. This update will be the last major software update for Galaxy Watch 4 users.
Update Coming for Galaxy Watch 4 Models
The Galaxy Watch 4 series was introduced in 2021 with the One UI 3 Watch interface. While system stability and features have been improved over time with updates, it was unclear whether these models would be able to upgrade to One UI 8 Watch. However, it has been revealed that Samsung is testing the update for these models. The in-development version has confirmed that Galaxy Watch 4 users will be upgraded to the new interface.
The watch’s hardware features an Exynos W920 processor, featuring two Cortex-A55 cores and a 4nm process. It remains unclear how efficiently this hardware will run a next-generation interface like One UI 8 Watch.
While Google claims to offer a 10 percent improvement in performance and battery life with Wear OS 6, how this will translate to the Galaxy Watch 4 remains unclear in terms of user experience.
The One UI 8 Watch comes with a completely revamped user interface. Watch faces are more advanced, and animations and transitions have improved fluidity. Tile designs have been redesigned, allowing you to add more tiles to a single screen. The app launcher has been updated with a new vertical grid layout and list view, highlighting frequently used apps.
Another notable feature in the new interface is the Now Bar. Active processes in the Samsung Health app, such as workouts, stopwatch, and timer, can be controlled from this bar. The battery indicator and charging animations have also been redesigned.
Notifications now display content from the same app one after the other and are no longer displayed on the watch if the user is active on the phone. This makes notification management smarter and simpler.
The One UI 8 Watch also comes with four new health features: Antioxidant Index, Bedtime Guide, Running Coach, and Vascular Load. However, it’s unclear whether these features will work on the Galaxy Watch 4 series. The update may bypass these features, which require hardware support.
