New Samsung Galaxy Watch just leaked — and it might run Wear OS

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Next Samsung Galaxy Watch could be a game-changer for Wear OS

Galaxy Watch
(Image credit: Evan Blass)

A new Samsung Galaxy Watch is expected to launch later this year, although we don't know whether it'll be the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or a next-generation Galaxy Watch Active. We do have some fresh leaks letting us know the smartwatch's basic features, though.

According to a tweet from IceUniverse, who supplies a good sum of Samsung leaks, the next Galaxy Watch will replace Tizen with Android. This means Galaxy Watches could be making the jump from Samsung's proprietary wearable OS to Google's Wear OS.  

Wear OS (formerly Android Wear) is popular among smaller smartwatch makers like Fossil, Huawei and TicWatch. But devices running on Wear OS have historically lacked the powerful processors and advanced fitness-tracking features offered by Apple with watchOS and Samsung with Tizen OS.

That said, Samsung could be working with Google to bring Wear OS up to snuff. If that's the case, the next Samsung Galaxy Watch would be the most relevant Wear OS smartwatch ever released. Plus, it would make the Galaxy Watch more appealing to Pixel smartphone users, who are still waiting on a Google Pixel Watch.

How many new Galaxy Watches are on the way?

Another leak from SamMobile, a reliable source on all things Samsung, suggests at least two new Galaxy Watches are due to release this year. GalaxyClub discovered products in the pipeline labeled SM-R86x and SM-R87x, which correspond with labels used for last year's Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.

While those codes could imply two distinct smartwatch models, it likely refers to two different sizes for the same smartwatch, which is standard for Samsung's wearables. The Galaxy Watch 3 came in 41mm and 45mm variants, for example. We'd also expect the lineup to offer LTE models.

Samsung's upcoming smartwatch (or smartwatches) will probably launch alongside new Galaxy smartphones at the next Unpacked event, although it's still too far off to know which phones or when the event is taking place. Rumor has it the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will headline the event, possibly replacing the Note series. 

Kate Kozuch
Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She writes about smartwatches, TVs, audio devices, and some cooking appliances, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following if you don't already. 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.