The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 could be the best Samsung watch yet. We’ve seen a handful of rumors so far, including the possibility of a new Pro model.
Last year, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 featured two designs — a standard, sporty-looking model and Classic version with a physical bezel — plus a non-invasive body composition analysis sensor. It also became the first smartwatch to run Wear OS 3, a unified platform that integrates a selection of Google programs with the familiar Samsung apps.
So how will the fifth-generation Galaxy Watch maintain its claim to the best smartwatch for Android? With the rumored Google Pixel Watch threatening to crash the party, the Galaxy Watch 5 should attempt to innovate the wearable market. We could see new fitness-tracking features, an updated design, more ways to stay connected from your wrist and more.
Here’s what we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, as well as what we’d like to see from Samsung’s next smartwatch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 rumors: Updated May 15
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 possible release date
The most likely Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 release date would fall sometime in August 2022, if Samsung is sticking to its usual product schedule. While we’re seeing the reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S22 series at the Samsung Unpacked keynote on February 9 (here’s how to watch Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022), the company is known for hosting a second big event during the summer.
In August 2021, we saw the debut of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, two of the best phones around, along with the Galaxy Watch 4’s official announcement.
As such, we could see the Galaxy Watch 5 arrive with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 or another foldable. Samsung’s products are often leaked or teased in the weeks leading up to a product event. In other words, we should get a sense of the Galaxy Watch 5 release date closer to its planned launch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 price expectations
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 price could be the same as the Galaxy Watch 4’s price. The Galaxy Watch 4 starts at $249.99 for the 40mm Bluetooth model and $299.99 for the 40mm LTE model. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic starts at $349.99 for the 42mm Bluetooth model and $399.99 for the 42mm LTE model.
If the Galaxy Watch 5 doesn’t come in two configurations, we could see greater variation in the price. It could even resurrect the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3’s original $399 starting price, which mirrors the Apple Watch 7’s cost.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 design and specs
We don’t yet know a huge amount about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, but there have been a couple of leaks.
The most recent one comes from GalaxyClub (opens in new tab), which claims to have found codenames and model number for the rumored three models of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
The smallest of these is said to have the codename ‘Heart-S’ and the model number SM-R90X. It will reportedly comes in 40mm and 42mm sizes, which would essentially make it the replacement for the basic Galaxy Watch 4.
The second model is the ‘Heart-L’ — or SM-R91X. This will reportedly come in 44mm and 46mm sizes, which would seem to fit with it being a replacement for the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic version.
There’s also rumored to be a Pro model — of which more below.
Outside of the model/size info, we’ve also head a couple of rumors about the sensors that might come to the Galaxy Watch 5. The first of these, from Korean site ET News (opens in new tab), claims that the Galaxy Watch 5 will come with temperature-sensing tech.
The second of these, from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (opens in new tab), is that the Galaxy Watch 5 will miss out on temperature-sending tech. Right.
So, who to believe here? Well, at this stage we have no reason to trust either one over the other. However, Kuo’s reasoning is that “algorithm limitations” might prevent the tech appearing in the new model. Given that he has also made the same claim about the Apple Watch 8 — which has also been tipped to get a temperature sensor — presumably he knows something about the subject. For now, though, we’ll consider this one to be uncertain either way.
The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has been tipped to earn its ‘pro’ moniker thanks to a titanium and sapphire glass construction. These point to a watch that’s resistant to bumps, knocks and scratches with a premium look, but the real question is what this will do to pricing. The use of premium materials could see a hefty boost in price, especially as we’ve seen premium materials used in the Apple Watch range hike the price up considerably over the base model.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro rumors
According to one new rumor, there may be a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro model. Not much has been claimed about this model, but it could have a huge 572 mAh battery. That’s not only a near 60% increase on the 361 mAh battery found in the larger, 44mm Galaxy Watch 4, it’s pretty much the biggest smartwatch cell we’ve heard of to date.
This big battery could not only extend the endurance of this claimed smartwatch, but also support a whole load on features, such as measuring blood glucose levels and offering features that are game-changing for diabetics.
In addition, we’ve heard that this rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro could wind up replacing the Classic model in Samsung’s lineup. However, we don’t know if Samsung will be keeping the rotating bezel on the Pro.
That said, a new leak from GalaxyClub (opens in new tab) has cast doubt on the Pro replacing the Classic, instead suggesting it could merely be one of three Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 models. That site found codenames and model numbers that are purportedly for the Watch 5 — and there are a trio of them.
Of these, the Pro is said to have the model number SM-R92X, although there’s no information in this leak about the size.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 features: What we want to see
Whether the next Galaxy Watch will become the best smartwatch of the year depends mostly on the features it will offer. Here are a few we’d like to see materialize.
Longer battery life: It would be great if the next Galaxy Watch brings more battery life. Based on our usage, we found the Galaxy Watch 4 lasted just over a day with the always-on display and frequent activity tracking. Rivals like the Fitbit Sense and Garmin Venu 2 Plus last up to six days and nine days, respectively.
FDA approval for blood pressure monitoring: We’d also like a feature that’s already offered in the Galaxy Watch lineup to finally earn FDA approval. Samsung has put blood pressure monitoring in the last two iterations of its smartwatch, but users in the U.S. haven’t been able to take advantage of the health tool.
Recovery tools: A recent Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 software update introduced sleep coaching tools to help users improve their sleep quality over time. We’d like to see Samsung take this one step further with dedicated recovery tools that recommend rest days, like the Oura Ring Generation 3. The Galaxy Watch 5 could even borrow a feature like Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Score.
Fun color options: Taking a cue from the Apple Watch Series 7 colors, we think the Galaxy Watch 5 should expand color options beyond the basic metallics. Yes, many might want a neutral-hued smartwatch to match a variety of outfits. But a red, blue, green or other eye-catching color would make the Galaxy Watch 5’s design a bit more exciting.
