The next generation of the Samsung Galaxy Watch is almost here, and it's looking to me like it is shaping up to be one of the best smartwatches we'll see in 2022.
That's because according to the latest collection of leaked information emerging from the US regulator the FCC, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 includes a really important upgrade: not just a bigger battery but much faster charging, too. That's something I think most high-end smartwatch owners would like in their own watches; I can't be the only one whose watch battery life is frustratingly short.
According to 9to5Google, which has seen details of the three different Bluetooth models (there will also be LTE versions), the Watch will also have 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, NFC and Wear OS. And it'll have 5V/2A charging speeds delivering up to 10W, which isn't much compared to some of the best phones' chargers but it's impressively fast for a smartwatch. And with the Pro model reportedly getting a battery with around 600mAh, nearly double that of the Apple Watch Series 7, it should have impressive stamina.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: what we know
We're expecting the Galaxy Watch Series 5 to arrive in late 2022, most likely August, and it should largely resemble the current model. That large battery probably scuppers suggestions of a thinner design, but being honest I'm okay with that – I'd much rather have longer battery life than a slightly thinner watch. After all, as we wrote in our Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review, the reduced battery life in the fourth generation meant that we sometimes struggled to get 24 hours from the battery.
We know Samsung is sticking with Wear OS, albeit its own Powered By Samsung flavour, but we're hoping that Samsung has less of a walled garden approach to its health apps this time: in the Watch 4, its ECG and blood pressure apps are only available for Samsung phones. Keeping them off other Android phones seems petty.
It seems certain that Samsung is dropping its rotating bezel. We'd previously heard that it was not going to be in the Pro, but the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 rumour suggests it's going away on the other models too.
