Samsung Unveils Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9: Smartwatches Evolve into Health Alert Hubs

Smartwatches are no longer just step counters or heart rate monitors—they are rapidly evolving into tools for extreme sports, sleep analysis, and health risk prediction. Samsung Electronics today (22nd) unveiled two new smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9, in London, UK. The Ultra2 introduces 40-meter diving capability, off-road running support, and real-time hydration guidance, powered by an 800mAh battery and a peak 5,000-nit display. The Watch9 integrates five vital signs—heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen (SpO2), body temperature, and respiratory rate—transforming continuous wearable data into actionable health insights.

Citing Statista data, Samsung estimates the global smartwatch market will reach $95.81 billion by 2026 and expand to $600.21 billion by 2034, with a CAGR exceeding 25%. As the wearable market grows, Samsung has clearly segmented its offerings: the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 targets high-end outdoor and extreme sports users, while the Watch9 focuses on daily sleep, activity, and health tracking.

Samsung Electronics CEO TM Roh stated that Samsung aims to shift health management from "reactive treatment after problems arise" to proactive care. He explained that the new Galaxy Watch continuously tracks health data from the wrist, transforming daily vital signs into actionable information and providing alerts when changes are detected.

Certified for Diving: Supports Up to 40 Meters

The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 features a 47mm titanium body, certified to IP69K, 10ATM, and EN13319 diving instrument standards, enabling use in underwater environments up to 40 meters deep. When the diving mode is activated, the watch automatically records depth, time, and water temperature. Samsung has partnered with diving equipment brand mares to develop the Ultra2 Diving app, providing information on ascent/descent speed, no-decompression limits, and safety stops to help divers monitor their status.

However, Samsung notes that some advanced diving features co-developed with mares will launch later this year and are not available at launch. These data should serve only as supplementary references and cannot replace professional diving training, safety protocols, or on-site judgment.

Off-Road Running with Elevation and Hydration Guidance: Up to 20 Hours of GPS Battery Life

Beyond diving, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 extends functionality to off-road running and cycling. It supports GPX offline maps and custom route navigation, recording elevation, climb progress, and terrain impact to help runners manage energy and pace.

A new hydration guidance feature estimates sweat loss during exercise and reminds users to rehydrate. The cycling mode also tracks pedaling power and cadence, advancing the watch from a general fitness tracker to a professional training tool.

On the hardware side, the Ultra2 features an 800mAh battery, a 35% increase from the previous 590mAh, offering up to 20 hours of GPS use and 16 hours of GPX route recording. The new model runs on the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform and supports dual-frequency L1/L5 GPS.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra2's display reaches a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. Samsung claims this is the world's first smartwatch to achieve 5,000 nits as of June 2026, though this refers to localized peak brightness under high ambient light, not sustained full-screen brightness.

Despite the larger battery, internal redesign has reduced the body thickness by 12% compared to the previous model. The dimensions are 47.4×47.1×10.7mm, weighing 61.5 grams.

Watch9 Designed for All-Day Wear: Integrates Five Vital Signs

While the Ultra2 targets the outdoor market, the Galaxy Watch9 features a lightweight aluminum body, available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, continuing Samsung's rounded Cushion case design for improved wrist fit.

The 40mm model weighs 31.5 grams with a 390mAh battery; the 44mm version weighs 34 grams with a 445mAh battery. Both models feature a Super AMOLED display with up to 3,000 nits brightness, the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, Wear OS 7, and the One UI 9 Watch interface.

For health features, both the Ultra2 and Watch9 integrate five metrics—heart rate, HRV, SpO2, body temperature, and respiratory rate—to establish a personal baseline. With continuous wear and accumulated sleep data, the system compares against normal states and sends alerts when significant deviations occur.

Samsung also introduces a Fitness Index, breaking down physical condition into cardiovascular health, endurance, strength, body composition, and mobility. The Cardiovascular Health Index combines sleep, exercise, BMI, and vascular load data into an easy-to-understand score and lifestyle recommendations.

The Daily Cardio Load feature assesses the heart's workload from daily activities and exercise, providing daily training load and recovery suggestions. Noise detection regularly monitors ambient decibel levels, issuing alerts when volume exceeds a set threshold.

Enhanced Sleep Apnea Analysis: Awaiting Taiwan FDA Certification

Samsung has also enhanced its sleep apnea analysis, using AI algorithms to detect breathing interruptions during sleep and provide risk and severity information. This feature has received relevant clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, Samsung states that certification with Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare is still underway, with no confirmed release date.

Samsung emphasizes that the sleep apnea and vital signs features are for personal health reference only and cannot be used for diagnosis, treatment, or disease prevention, nor can they replace medical diagnosis. The sleep apnea function is designed to detect moderate to severe risks, requiring users to accumulate at least two nights of sleep data within 10 days. The vital signs feature requires at least seven nights of sleep data.

Gemini on Your Wrist: Perform Tasks Without Pulling Out Your Phone

Both watches integrate Gemini Intelligence. Users can send messages, set reminders, and launch navigation via natural voice commands when exercising, moving, or with hands occupied. They can also ask about meal calories or request AI-recommended exercises.

Samsung's wearable strategy now extends beyond watches. The newly unveiled AI smart glasses connect with Galaxy devices, with some gesture controls requiring the Watch9, indicating Samsung's effort to position the watch as a portable control hub between smartphones, glasses, and AI services.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 comes in Titanium Silver and Titanium Mist Gray. The Watch9 offers Cream White, Graphite Gray, and Glacier Silver, varying by 40mm and 44mm sizes. Pre-orders begin July 22 in select markets, with official launch on August 7. Pricing, release date, LTE version availability, and health feature rollout in Taiwan remain unannounced.