Samsung's next Galaxy smartwatch codename hints at Apple Watch beating update

We recently learnt that Samsung is working on a new smartwatch, likely to replace the Galaxy Watch, and now we have our second clue.

Now, thanks to a leak from Galaxy Club, we also know Samsung’s next smartwatch is codenamed Noblesse.

What on Earth does that mean, we hear you ask. Well, it’s a 13th century word used to describe French nobility. It is also half of the French phrase ‘noblesse oblige’, which refers to the fulfilling of social responsibilities by people from a noble ancestry. We'll let you shoehorn your own Price Harry reference in there.

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Back to the watch, and this all makes us think Samsung is working on a classically designed timepiece to replace the two-year-old Galaxy Watch, instead of being a sporty successor to the newer Galaxy Watch Active 2.

It’s an interesting move, and one that could see Samsung carve out a bit of a niche for itself, by aiming at fashion-conscious buyers (noblemen, no less…), instead of the health and fitness crowd who buy the Apple Watch. The codename could also lead to a watch with a higher price than Samsung’s current wearables.

As a quick reminder, this is the codename being used internally at Samsung for an upcoming smartwatch with the model number SM-R840, which we recently reported on. We also hear the watch will be available in two sizes, as is par for the smartwatch course.

Given we only have a model number and code name to go on for now, we doubt the new watch will be revealed at Samsung’s Unpacked event, which takes place on 11 February and is where we expect to see the new Galaxy S20 smartphone family, and new Galaxy Z Flip folding phone.

Instead, a new smartwatch could be on the cards later in the year, perhaps launching alongside the next generation of Galaxy Note.

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