Samsung's Latest Wear OS Galaxy Watch 4 Marks a Fresh Start for Android Wearables
Following prolonged whispers, conjectures, and assumptions, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic have officially made their entry into the market - bringing along with them a fresh smartwatch platform for Android users.
Although today's Unpacked event did not present any significant unexpected turns, the assembly suggests Android enthusiasts may finally get the smartwatches they have yearned for since Wear OS debuted in 2014.
A Familiar Design with an Enhanced Processor
From a visual standpoint, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic don't stray too far from their predecessors, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and Galaxy Watch 3. Samsung rebranded its product line, with its Active range now known as the Galaxy Watch, while the premium Galaxy Watch line is now referred to as the Classic. The Watch 4 comes in both 40mm and 44mm sizes, while the Classic boasts a slightly larger 42mm and 46mm. The former has retained the Active's digital bezel, and the Classic features Samsung's traditional rotating physical bezel.
I had an opportunity to examine the watches at a Samsung event, and they look quite stylish on the wrist. Despite initial skepticism based on renders, the watches are more streamlined in person, and the integrated lugs complement the overall design. The screen is bright, and the straps are interchangeable. With the 40mm Galaxy Watch 4 and 42mm Classic, I didn't find the watches to be overly bulky on my wrists, but further testing will be required for a definitive conclusion.
The additional horsepower under the hood is what truly sets the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic apart. The watches are harnessing Samsung's new Exynos W920, which Samsung asserts is the industry's first 5nm wearable chip. This implies that Wear OS smartwatches will enjoy a 20% faster CPU, 50% more RAM, and a GPU that is 10 times faster than its predecessor. In turn, these watches now boast the most processing power among all current Wear OS devices, with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The improved performance is instantly noticeable, with smooth animations, quick app loading times, and effortless scrolling.
Swapping straps can be a bit challenging due to the integrated lugs but becomes easier with practice.
Both watches offer approximately 40 hours of battery life on a single charge - roughly equivalent to the Watch 3. A 30-minute charge translates to an estimated 10 hours of battery life.
A Revolutionary 3-in-1 Sensor for Enhanced Fitness Tracking
The most significant hardware upgrade is the BioActive Sensor, a 3-in-1 chip with capabilities for optical heart rate monitoring, ECGs, and bioelectrical impedance analysis for body composition analysis. Samsung claims that the sensor fits into a compact design without sacrificing accuracy. While I cannot verify its efficacy for activity tracking or ECGs at this time, heart rate tracking appears to be on par with my Apple Watch SE.
The new sensor enables a new body composition feature, which takes just 15 seconds to determine muscle mass, body fat, water percentage, and basal metabolic rate. However, accuracy cannot be determined at this stage because the units I observed were running preliminary software. It appears that the awkwardness of measuring body composition with the watch on the right wrist may necessitate a feature that allows screen orientation adjustment, though I wasn't able to test this.
Sleep Tracking and Snoring Detection
This time around, the watches include snoring detection and more extensive sleep tracking capabilities. Besides the standard array of sensors, such as built-in GPS, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, light sensor, and geomagnetic sensor, NFC payments and Bluetooth 5.0 are also supported.
The New Wear OS: Wear OS Powered by Samsung
The Wear OS that powers the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic is dubbed "Wear OS Powered by Samsung." The Wear OS that will become available for other watches in 2022 is Wear OS 3. This means that the Wear OS on these smartwatches carries a slight Samsung-themed influence.
Mostly, this is the One UI Watch experience that Samsung unveiled earlier at Mobile World Congress. In essence, when paired with a Galaxy smartphone, Samsung's watches will automatically download apps, synchronize settings, and switch audio between multiple Samsung devices. This is a mostly passive feature that I didn't get to experience firsthand.
A Look at the New Watch Interface
Gazing at the app grid and Play Store, you can see the renovated watch interface. Furthermore, the Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic now have two physical buttons, unlike their predecessors, which only had a single button. This change makes navigating the UI more intuitive.
Despite having access to the Google Play Store, apps from the Play Store cannot be directly downloaded and installed on the watch. Instead, users must rely on the compatibility between the smartphone and watch to automatically download apps.
The Wear OS running on the Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic is derived from an older version of the operating system, allowing Samsung more control over the user experience.
Overall, with its improvements under the hood and various hardware and software upgrades, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic appear to be promising smartwatch options that could address the long-standing needs and desires of Android enthusiasts.
Utilizing Samsung's Wear OS proves to be an adjustment. It's a blend of Tizen and Wear OS, which occasionally necessitates reacquainting yourself with its functions. For instance, upward swipes no longer lead to notifications, as observed on current Wear OS watches. Instead, they direct you to a grid of apps, akin to Apple's, which can be customized either on your wrist or via your phone. This development surpasses Tizen's circular app menu. Swiping left still allows you to scroll through widgets, but they now bear a resemblance to those on Tizen watches instead of previous Wear OS devices.
The Samsung Health app underwent renovation as well. The revamped app exhibits a cleaner look, improved navigation, and presents statistics in a more straightforward manner. A new tab dedicated to guided workouts has been incorporated as well. These workouts can be streamed to Samsung TVs, providing real-time metrics from your watch.
However, Samsung is not the sole controller here. Google revealed that the apps would conform to the new Material You design language for Google Maps, Messages by Google, Google Pay apps, and YouTube Music, at a later date this year. Furthermore, Google announced an increase in third-party app compatibility and Tiles, including Calm, Komoot, MyFitnessPal, Period Tracker, Sleep Cycle, Spotify, Strava, and Adidas Running. Google Maps will also become compatible in the following weeks for Wear OS 2.
Significantly, Google's declaration permits the download of Google's applications onto Samsung's watches - a practice that was not previous practice. Furthermore, users will have the liberty to choose which service provider they wish to use. In other words, if you prefer Google Maps, Google Messages, Google Pay, or are a YouTube Music subscriber, you no longer need to use Samsung's preloaded apps. It is yet to be seen how this feature performs in real-world usage, but at least the forthcoming YouTube Music app will support offline downloads.
An in-depth evaluation of the new Wear OS is premature at this stage. While I cannot render a definitive verdict based on this initial exploration, I can assure you that the preliminary results are highly promising. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive review soon.
Pricing and Availability
Both models are now available for pre-order and are expected to hit the market on Aug. 27. Pre-ordering before the specified date will secure you a $50 Samsung credit.
The Galaxy Watch 4 begins at $250, with the LTE version priced at $300. The 40mm version will be available in black, silver, and pink gold. The 44mm version is offered in black, silver, and green.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is priced at $350 for Bluetooth connectivity and $400 for LTE. Initial availability is limited to black and silver. However, if you're willing to wait until September, a rhodium-plated Thom Browne limited edition will also be available.
The inclusion of Samsung's new Exynos W920 chip in the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic signifies a significant leap in technology for Android smartwatches, promising a 20% faster CPU, 50% more RAM, and a GPU that is 10 times faster than its predecessor. (tech, future, technology)
In the future, Android users may benefit from the integration of Google's apps with Samsung's smartwatches, as announced by Google, allowing for more customization and the ability to choose preferred service providers. (tech, future, technology)
