Samsung’s next smartwatches are leaking early, and the biggest takeaway is surprisingly restrained: the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 looks like a polish job, not a redesign. Renders suggest Samsung is keeping the squircle-shaped case that debuted with the original Ultra, while the standard Galaxy Watch 9 is tipped to get a boxier look and a new role as the company’s non-Classic option.
The leak also points to slimmer bezels on the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, plus a revised side button area and a more subtle orange Quick Button. Battery sizes have reportedly leaked too: 800mAh for the Ultra 2 and 400mAh for the Galaxy Watch 9. Samsung is expected to unveil both watches at Galaxy Unpacked on July 22 in London.
That restraint makes sense. Samsung has spent the last few generations nudging its wearables toward a more distinct identity, while Apple and Google keep squeezing the same familiar round-vs-square arguments out of the market. A smaller visual reset here signals confidence in the current design language, but also a reluctance to upset the people who bought into it last time.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 design tweaks
According to the leak, the Ultra sequel keeps the broad shape of the first model but trims the details. The bezels around the display may be slimmer, the side button area is said to be revised, and the orange Quick Button could lose some of its shouty styling in favor of an orange outline. In other words: same watch, slightly less aggressive haircut.
The images circulating online are described as software illustrations rather than photos, so there is still room for Samsung to adjust the final hardware before launch. That matters because smartwatch leaks often exaggerate tiny changes that look dramatic on a render and invisible on a wrist.
Galaxy Watch 9 gets a new shape
The standard Galaxy Watch 9 is where Samsung seems willing to move the needle a bit more. It is tipped to adopt a boxier design, come in beige, black, and silver, and arrive with new band styles. Samsung is also reportedly skipping a Classic model this year, which leaves the Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 as the main wearables in the lineup.
- Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: squircle case, slimmer bezels, revised side buttons, orange-outlined Quick Button
- Galaxy Watch 9: boxier design, beige/black/silver color options, new band designs
- Software: updated watch faces and One UI 9 Watch, based on Wear OS 7
- Battery: 800mAh for the Ultra 2, 400mAh for the Watch 9
Galaxy Unpacked timing and the battery split
Battery sizes also leaked, and the gap is telling: 800mAh for the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 versus 400mAh for the Galaxy Watch 9. Samsung is expected to unveil both wearables alongside its next foldable smartphones at Galaxy Unpacked on July 22 in London, which gives the company a neat excuse to bundle phones, watches, and software updates into one very loud keynote.
The real question is whether these tweaks are enough to keep Samsung ahead of rival premium wearables, or whether buyers will treat the Ultra 2 as the sort of update you notice only after someone points it out. Either way, the next leak will probably be about colors, straps, or a badge that moves two millimeters to the left.