Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 specs revealed ahead of possible August launch

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
(Image credit: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 4 could begin shipping on August 11, according to a new report. Samsung's next set of smartwatches would be announced prior during an unconfirmed Unpacked keynote.

While we didn't know whether Samsung's plans this year include follow-ups for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, Front Page Tech said both next-gen models are getting set for a market launch.

Front Page Tech's report also said the lifestyle Galaxy Watch 4 will come in a 42mm and 46mm models, while the fitness-focused Galaxy Active Watch 4 will come in 40mm and 44mm models. This means the flagship Galaxy Watch could come in larger configurations this year while the latest Active version will come in the same size options as its predecessor. 

Last month, journalist Nils Ahrensmeier revealed the possibility of larger Galaxy Watch 4 models. Ahrensmeier said that the Galaxy Watch Active 4 will come in 40mm and 42mm options instead, though. 

Until Samsung makes its new smartwatches official, there's no way to know which (if either) source has accurate intel on the Galaxy Watch Active 4 sizes. We will say it's irregular to offer two versions the same wearable just 2mm apart in size.

It's also possible we won't see all the alleged smartwatches this year. If the company follows its own precedent, it will launch one version  — the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch Active 4 — alongside some smartphones during an official press event. 

But Front Page Tech reported the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 will release on August 27, a few weeks later than the proposed Galaxy Watch launch date. The company could stagger the announcements similar to how Apple separated its Apple Watch 6 launch from its annual iPhone-headlining keynote.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 specs show up in FCC listing

Meanwhile, a listing for a device numbered SM-R885 just passed through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC.) As spotted by Android Authority,  the device appears to be an LTE version of Samsung's next smartwatch.

The listing shares a short list of specs, too. In addition to LTE bands, the Galaxy Watch also supports dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, GNSS and Bluetooth. There's also a feature called “Audio playback” noted, which likely refers to built-in storage for music or other downloadable audio content.

As for battery and charging, device SM-R885's battery capacity is rated at 240mAh and the battery offers wireless charging. This doesn't tell us much about battery life, although these specs are the same as the Galaxy Watch 3's. We would expect similar battery performance, if not for the forthcoming Wear OS software merged with Tizen promising improved efficiency. 

Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She covers smartwatches, TVs and audio devices, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.