Samsung has been quietly shifting its smartwatch release strategy over the past few years. In 2024, it dropped the Classic model entirely to introduce the Galaxy Watch Ultra alongside the standard Watch 7. Last year, it brought the Classic back for the Watch 8 series and released a minor refresh of the Ultra with extra storage and a new color option. Now, leaked code suggests that Samsung is preparing something more ambitious a full update across all three watch models simultaneously this summer.
What the Code Leak Actually Shows
Android Authority dug into a recent Google Wear OS app update and found three new internal codenames: Fresh 9, Wise 9, and Project X2. These are not random strings. Last year, the Galaxy Watch 8 was codenamed Fresh 8, and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was internally known as Wise 8. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 went by Project V2. Following the same naming logic, Fresh 9 almost certainly refers to the Galaxy Watch 9, Wise 9to the Galaxy Watch 9 Classic, and Project X2 to the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
None of this is an official Samsung announcement. Codenames found in app code confirm that devices are in development and testing they do not confirm final product names, release dates, or specifications. What they do indicate is that all three models are progressing on a parallel timeline, which aligns with a summer launch window.
What We Know About Each Model
Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch 9 Classic
The Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch 9 Classic are internally expected to continue using the Exynos W1000 processor that powered the Watch 8 series. This is not necessarily a disappointment the Exynos W1000 delivered strong performance and battery efficiency on the Watch 8, and Samsung may have chosen processor continuity to focus its engineering resources on software and sensor improvements instead.
One of the more interesting features coming to the Watch 9 series is Raise to Talk. A new string labeled "RttSettingsManager3pWearOs" found inside the same Wear OS app code suggests Google is expanding the raise-to-talk capability to third-party Wear OS devices, including Samsung's. This would allow Galaxy Watch users to activate their voice assistant whether Bixby or Google Assistant simply by lifting their wrist toward their face, without saying a wake word. Apple Watch has offered this for years, and its addition to Galaxy Watch would close a meaningful gap in the hands-free experience.
The Galaxy Watch 9 Classic would be the fourth Wear OS Galaxy Watch to feature a rotating bezel if confirmed as a design element that Samsung Watch fans have consistently pointed to as one of the most practical and satisfying physical controls on any smartwatch.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is where the most significant hardware upgrade is expected. Unlike the Watch 9 and Watch 9 Classic, the Ultra 2 is rumored to adopt Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor rather than continuing with Samsung's own Exynos chip. If confirmed, this would be a meaningful platform shift for the Ultra line the Snapdragon Wear Elite is positioned as a higher-performance option for premium wearables and brings improved AI processing capabilities alongside the standard health and fitness tracking workloads.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is also expected to ship with One UI 9 Watch based on Wear OS 7, and early mentions in leaked strings point to a new Samsung AI Health Index feature a unified health score that aggregates sleep, stress, recovery, and activity data from the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring into a single interpretable number. This feature is expected to arrive through a Samsung Health app update as early as July or August, timed alongside the Ultra 2 launch.
When Is the Launch
Samsung is expected to announce its new wearable lineup alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 at a Galaxy Unpacked event currently rumored for July 22. The Galaxy Watch 9 series would likely go on sale approximately two weeks after the announcement, following Samsung's standard launch pattern. Pricing has not leaked yet, but the Galaxy Watch 9 could start from around $349 the same price the Watch 8 launched at with the Ultra 2 commanding a premium above that.
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