What happened? The Korean technology giant Samsung is working on a successor to the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which could appear as early as 2026.
- According to a report by GalaxyClub, Samsung is working on a new smartwatch codenamed “Galaxy Watch 9 Ultra”.
- This could be the successor to the company’s original rugged smartwatch, which it could market as the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
- The smartwatch is expected to launch around 2026, possibly with the foldable devices next year.
Why is this important? While information about the rumored Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is still sparse, the smartwatch should build on the strong foundation of the original Watch Ultra.
- When the smartwatch launches in July or August 2026, it will directly compete with the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
- It has the classic features like a larger screen, large battery, high-quality titanium construction, and cellular connectivity.
- However, we can expect Samsung to upgrade the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (and the Galaxy Watch 9 models) with a new and more efficient chipset.
Why should I care? If you’re interested in a rugged smartwatch that ticks all the boxes but don’t need it right away, it might make sense to wait for the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. If you already own a smartwatch, the Ultra 2 may blur the lines between a watch and a standalone device with lots of storage, performance, power and battery life. The new smartwatch could also debut with a new version of Wear OS that adds new features.
Okay, what’s next? Since we’re still a few months away from the expected launch of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in July or August 2026, we can expect more details about the smartwatch to surface online in the coming months. Meanwhile, Samsung is also preparing to launch its Galaxy S26 in January 2026, which could include three models: Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra.
