Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: what we want to see

Date:
Sat, 18 Dec 2021 08:00:43 +0000

Description:
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is expected in 2022, and we have a wish list for it.

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With the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic , Samsung launched two of the best and in some ways most disappointing wearables of 2021.

These devices promised a whole new operating system, melding the best of
Tizen with Wear OS, all powered by a speedy new chipset, and with a host of new health tracking skills. And they largely delivered on that, but with a number of caveats and issues.

So for the inevitable Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (and the possible Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Classic) we want a number of changes, the biggest of which weve highlighted below.

Weve also taken a look at when Samsungs next flagship wearable is likely to launch, how much it might cost, and weve even collected some early rumors about it. As soon as more leaks emerge well add them to this article too, so this will remain the definitive source of Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 information ahead of its launch. Cut to the chase What is it? The next high-end Samsung smartwatch When is it out? Probably August 2022 How much will it cost?
Unknown Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 release date and price

A leaked release schedule obtained by South Korean site The Elec states that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will land sometime in the second half of 2022, though thats hardly surprising given that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 range landed in August of 2021.

In fact, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 landed in August of 2020, so August of 2022 is our best guess for when well see the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

Theres no news on what it might cost just yet, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 starts at $249.99 / 249 / AU$399 (rising in price for a larger size or LTE connectivity), while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic begins at $349 / 349
/ $549, so we might see similar pricing for the next model. News and leaks

We havent heard much about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 yet, but we have seen a Samsung patent for a smartwatch with an extendable screen that can increase
in size by 40% when a pinch gesture is used. The same patent also shows a camera in the watch.

You can see how this might look in the images below, but note that patents dont always get used, and even if this design does one day make it into a wearable, we doubt it will be ready in time for the Galaxy Watch 5. (Image credit: Samsung / LetsGoDigital) What we want to see

There are lots of ways that Samsung could improve its wearables, including
the following things. 1. Much better battery life

We found the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 to have respectable battery life in our tests, but we cant say the same about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, which much of the time wouldnt even last a full 24 hours between charges.

So while it should have enough battery to see you through a day, its
something youll need to charge every night and over time as the battery starts to degrade, it may not even make it through every waking hour.

Thats really not good enough, and even the standard Galaxy Watch 4 only lasts around two days, which is fine but far from exceptional, so we want to see
big improvements here for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 range. 2. Full compatibility with more phones

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 range doesnt work with iPhones at all, despite previous models doing, and even if you have an Android phone, if its not a Samsung one then youll be locked out of some features, such as the ECG and blood pressure measurements.

Thats hugely disappointing, and while wed expect most iPhone users would
stick with the Apple Watch , its inexcusable to lock Android users out of features especially on a wearable that runs Wear OS (an operating system created by Google).

So for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 we at a minimum want full compatibility
with all modern Android phones, and ideally we want support for iPhones to return as well. 3. Better workout controls

We found particularly in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
that the workout controls were a bit fiddly, especially the act of pausing workouts. This isnt a huge deal, but it did mean that the time shown at the end of your workout can be inflated as a second or more can be wasted when pausing.

So we want these controls to be rethought for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, to make it a more compelling fitness device. 4. A slimmer design (Image credit: Future)

Another problem thats more present on the Classic than the standard Watch 4
is the thickness of the device.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is a chunky wearable and while to some extent that might be an aesthetic choice, wed like to see its successor slimmed down, as that thickness makes it tricky to wear under tight clothing, and potentially uncomfortable in bed. 5. A wider strap selection

Unless you order the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 direct from Samsung then the
strap choices for it out of the box are very limited, and even from Samsung itself youre restricted to sporty or hybrid options, with no full leather or metal choices.

Its worth noting that Samsung at least uses standard watch straps, so you can always swap one out for a third-party option anyway, but thats then an extra purchase.

So for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 range we want some classier choices to join the currently sporty mix, and for the selection to be wide wherever you purchase the watch from. These are the best smartwatches



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/news/samsung-galaxy-watch-5/


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