Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Leaked In Three Variants, Including A Pro
The Apple Watch is fundamentally the default choice as a smartwatch for most iPhone users. In contrast, Android users have many more choices, but the fragmentation in the Android ecosystem translates to varying experiences despite many devices' use of Google's Wear OS. Samsung's Galaxy Watch lineup is viewed as one of the more refined options for anyone looking to pair a smartwatch with an Android smartphone. A new leak this week appears to divulge that the company's upcoming Galaxy Watch 5 will come in three different variants, including a Watch 5 Pro — which will likely be Samsung's new top-of-the-line wearable.
The Dutch news outlet Galaxy Club has found evidence the Galaxy Watch 5 will come in three variants. In its report, the publication speaks of the three models, which are being developed under the codename "Heart." There are three variants under this series, coming with codenames Heart-S, Heart-L, and Heart-Pro. The Heart-S appears with the model name SM-R90x, where x represents a numeral that changes with the location and carrier support. The Heart-S is a smaller variant of the device with a dial diameter of either 40 or 42mm.
Heart-L appears with the model name SM-R91x and details that suggest a larger variant with a diameter of either 44 or 46mm. The top-tier version appears with the name Heart-Pro and the model number SM-R92x, with details that suggest it'll come in only one size variant. The leak suggests that the three models are already being developed for the European market with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity options. Unfortunately, there is no LTE variant at the moment, but that does not defy the possibility of Samsung launching one later.
Pro-worthy upgrade
We must clarify that codenames primarily denote products internally within the company. Therefore the suffix, "Pro," does not guarantee the flagship smartwatch will actually be called the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, just as the other two variants will not necessarily be called Galaxy Watch S and Watch L. The leak merely substantiates the existence of a third variant that will be superior to the other two.
Previous certification listings on the Korean regulatory body Safety Korea also revealed potential battery capacities of the Galaxy Watch 5 lineup. The Heart-S variant features a 275 mAh battery – an 11% increase over the 40mm Galaxy Watch 4 and the 42mm variant of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The Heart-L model features a 369 mAh battery, representing a 10% increase over the size of the battery in the 44mm variant of the Watch 4 and the 46mm variant of the Watch 4 Classic. The Pro variant is reported to likely offer a massive 573 mAh battery, which will hopefully put an end to the battery woes of the Galaxy Watch 4 series.
Other details about the Galaxy Watch 5 are limited at the moment, but with the much larger battery in the mix, it becomes all the more likely that we'll see faster RAM, better Wi-Fi capabilities, a more powerful processor, and even 5G connectivity.
Tough competition for the Apple Watch
Samsung's Galaxy Watch lineup has traditionally been based on its custom operating system Tizen OS, which was already quite refined when compared to other competitors serving the Android userbase. But in August 2021, the company made a remarkable shift to Google's Wear OS with the Galaxy Watch 4 series that was launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3. Although Samsung's user-facing interface remains fundamentally unaltered, the switch to Wear OS means Samsung's Galaxy Watch can now enjoy an extensive repertoire of Android apps on the supported smartwatches.
The success that Wear OS has (supposedly) brought to the Galaxy Watch 4 means the odds of Samsung still using Google's operating system for wearables are indisputably high. With a new Pro in its arsenal, Samsung could finally offer a fitting competitor to the Apple Watch, including the Series 8 that launches later this year alongside the iPhone 14.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is also expected to launch later this year beside Samsung's next generation of foldable smartphones – the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Z Flip 4.