Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9, its latest smartwatch pair built around the idea that wearing a watch 24/7 should be easy enough that people actually do it. Both watches run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform and ship with the largest batteries and brightest displays Samsung has put in a Galaxy Watch. Pre-orders open July 22, with general availability from August 7.

The timing matters. Wearable health tech has spent the past few years moving from step counters to serious health monitoring, with companies like Apple, Google, and Garmin all pushing deeper into biometrics. Samsung is betting that comfort and AI-powered simplicity are the two things stopping most people from getting real value out of a smartwatch. These watches are its answer to that problem.

The two models take different approaches. The Watch Ultra2 is a rugged, pro-sports device aimed at outdoor athletes and extreme-condition users. The Watch9 is a lighter, everyday health companion for people who want consistent tracking without the bulk. Both share the same AI health platform underneath, but the hardware differences are significant.

Galaxy Watch Ultra2: built for the outdoors

The Ultra2 is Samsung’s most capable watch to date. The 47mm titanium case is rated at 10 ATM, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H, which means it can handle everything from desert dust to deep water. It also holds the EN13319 diving certification, the same standard used by professional diving instruments.

Samsung has partnered with Mares, one of the top names in diving equipment, to build a dedicated diving app for the Ultra2. It tracks depth, water temperature, dive time, and ascent and descent speeds. The app is expected to launch later this year and will be exclusive to the Ultra2 on Wear OS for two years.

For trail runners, the watch adds a Trail Run mode that tracks elevation, climbing progress, and terrain impact in real time. A new Nutrition Alert feature estimates sweat loss relative to body weight and tells users when and how much to drink, which is a useful addition for long runs in the heat.

On the hardware side:

• 800 mAh battery, 35% larger than the original Ultra
• 5,000-nit display, the brightest on any smartwatch currently on the market
• 12% thinner than the previous Ultra, despite the bigger battery
• Lighter, softer bands to reduce overall weight

The design change is worth noting. Samsung made the watch slimmer even while increasing battery size, which required significant internal re-engineering. That kind of trade-off is exactly what the original Ultra was criticized for getting wrong, so this is a direct response to user feedback.

Galaxy Watch9: the everyday health watch

The Watch9 takes a different path. It comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, uses an aluminum case with Samsung’s cushion silhouette design, and focuses on all-day comfort over extreme-sport capability. The 40mm model weighs just 31.5 grams.

Samsung fitted the Watch9 with a 3,000-nit display, and the 44mm version gets a 445 mAh battery while the 40mm gets 390 mAh. Both are powered by the same Snapdragon Wear Elite chip as the Ultra2, which should mean noticeably faster response times and smoother health monitoring compared to previous generations.

The goal here is consistency. A health watch only works if people actually wear it, and the Watch9 is designed to be light and comfortable enough to sleep in, which matters because several of the key health features require sleep data to function.

AI health features on both watches

Both watches share Samsung’s AI-powered health platform, which uses the BioActive sensor to collect continuous biometric data and then turns that data into plain-language recommendations. Samsung says these features are backed by clinical research done with universities and medical institutions, though it has not named specific studies in this announcement.

The key features available on both models include:

• Sleep Apnea detection: Updated with new FDA clearance and AI algorithms. It looks for signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea over a two-night period. Not a medical diagnosis, but a personal reference tool.
• Vitals: Monitors your health baseline during sleep and sends alerts if something looks significantly off from your normal range.
• Heart Health Score: Gives cardiovascular wellness a single score and pairs it with lifestyle recommendations.
• Daily Cardio Load: Tracks workout volume and estimates how much recovery time you need.
• Fitness Index: Combines VO2 max and body composition data to give a broader picture of physical fitness.
• Hearing protection: Alerts users when ambient noise hits unsafe levels and generates detailed reports.

The Sleep Apnea feature is the most clinically significant of the group. FDA clearance gives it a level of credibility that most consumer health features lack, though users with known sleep apnea or who are pregnant are advised not to use it.

Band options for both watches

Samsung is shipping both watches with a range of band options designed for different use cases. For the Ultra2, the choices are built around durability and performance:

• Marine Band: Lightweight, breathable silicone for extreme conditions
• PeakForm Band: Hybrid material for a balance of performance and style
• Trail Band: Fabric band built for outdoor breathability and fit

The Watch9 band collection goes broader, with options ranging from workout bands to something you would wear to a meeting:

• Sports Band: Thin, soft silicone for everyday use and workouts
• Misty Band: Premium silicone with a two-tone look and secure fit
• Fabric Band: Lightweight and breathable, including comfortable enough for sleep

Samsung Care+ and subscription bundles

Both watches come with access to Samsung Care+, which covers accidental damage, extended warranty, and remote support. Users can manage their coverage directly from the Warranty and care menu in One UI 9, which also gives quick access to self-diagnostics and repair requests.

Samsung is also bundling two subscription trials with both watches:

• Strava: 60-day free trial, available in most markets. Activate through the Strava app under Settings.
• iFIT: 2-month free trial, available in 23 markets including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, and India. Activate through the Samsung Health app.

Pricing, colors, and availability

Samsung has not announced pricing in this release, but both watches are available for pre-order in select markets from July 22, with general sales starting August 7.

Color options are as follows:

• Galaxy Watch Ultra2 (47mm): Titanium Silver, Titanium Gray
• Galaxy Watch9 40mm: Cream, Graphite
• Galaxy Watch9 44mm: Graphite, Silver

Both watches require Android 13 or above and at least 1.5GB of RAM on the paired phone. They run Wear OS 7 with Samsung’s One UI 9 Watch on top. Full specs and regional availability are listed on the Samsung Global Newsroom.