Samsung has announced two new smartwatches: the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and the Galaxy Watch9. Both launched on July 22, 2026, and represent Samsung’s clearest push yet toward making wearables a genuine health tool rather than a glorified step counter.
The broader context here matters. The wearables market has shifted hard toward health monitoring over the past few years, with Apple, Google, and Garmin all competing to turn wrist-worn sensors into something clinically meaningful. Samsung is betting that combining powerful hardware with AI-backed health analysis gives it an edge, especially as users grow more interested in tracking sleep, heart health, and recovery rather than just fitness metrics.
Both watches run on the new Snapdragon Wear Elite Platform and carry what Samsung says are the largest batteries and brightest displays ever put in a Galaxy Watch. The two devices are aimed at different users, but they share the same AI health foundation underneath.
Galaxy Watch Ultra2: built for athletes and outdoor use
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is positioned as Samsung’s most capable watch to date. It is built around a 47mm titanium casing and is aimed at users who need reliable performance in tough conditions. It carries ratings of IP69K, 10 ATM, and EN13319 certification, which means it is rated for actual diving, not just splashes.
Once a user enters the water, the watch automatically begins tracking depth, time, and water temperature. Samsung has also partnered with Mares, a well-known diving equipment brand, to develop a dedicated Ultra2 Diving app with more advanced features like ascent and descent speed tracking and safe dive limits. That app is expected later this year.
For trail runners, the watch tracks elevation, climbing progress, and terrain impact. A new Nutrition Alert feature estimates sweat loss relative to body weight and tells users when and how much to drink. That kind of real-time hydration guidance has typically been the territory of high-end sports GPS devices, not smartwatches.
On the hardware side:
- 800 mAh battery, a 35% increase over the previous Ultra model
- 5,000 nits of brightness, which Samsung claims is the highest of any smartwatch currently available
- 12% thinner body than the previous generation despite the larger battery
- Lighter, softer bands designed for all-day wear
The design goal here is clear: pack in pro-level hardware without making the watch uncomfortable to wear around the clock. A device you take off is a device that stops collecting health data.
Galaxy Watch9: for everyday health and wellness tracking
The Galaxy Watch9 is aimed at a wider audience. It uses an aluminum casing rather than titanium, keeping the weight down and the price more accessible. Samsung says the design has been refined to sit closer to the wrist for a more natural fit.
The hardware specs are still solid:
- 390 mAh battery built for continuous 24/7 tracking
- 3,000-nit display for clear readability in sunlight
- Snapdragon Wear Elite Platform for faster, more efficient performance
- Multiple interchangeable soft-touch band options including silicone and fabric
The Watch9 is designed to be the kind of watch someone wears all day and forgets about, which is exactly what health tracking requires. Consistent wear means consistent data, and consistent data is what makes the AI health features actually useful.
AI health features across both watches
Both the Ultra2 and Watch9 use Samsung’s BioActive sensor to collect continuous biometric data. The watches then translate that raw data into plain-language recommendations so users understand not just what their body is doing, but what to do about it.
Samsung says these features are built on clinical research done with universities and medical institutions. The key health tools available on both devices include:
- Sleep Apnea detection: Updated with new FDA clearance and AI algorithms to identify breathing disruptions during sleep more accurately
- Vitals monitoring: Tracks a user’s personal health baseline overnight and sends alerts when something deviates significantly
- Heart Health Score: Converts cardiovascular data into a single score with personalized lifestyle recommendations attached
- Daily Cardio Load: Helps users balance training intensity and recovery to avoid overtraining
TM Roh, Samsung’s CEO and Head of the Device eXperience Division, described the vision as moving users from reactive treatment to proactive care. The idea is that a watch you already wear every day should be doing more than counting steps. It should flag issues before they become problems.
Why this matters
Samsung is not alone in chasing this vision, but the combination of clinical-grade health tools, premium hardware, and mass-market distribution gives it real reach. Most people will never buy a dedicated health monitoring device, but many already own a smartwatch. Putting genuinely useful health tracking into that device is a meaningful step toward making preventive care something ordinary rather than exceptional.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9 are available starting July 22, 2026. Pricing details were not included in the announcement, but Samsung’s Ultra line has historically sat above the standard Watch range in both capability and cost.