Your Galaxy Watch shouldn’t need an internet connection to set a timer. That sounds obvious, but until now, Gemini on Wear OS required one. That’s changing, and Samsung watch owners should pay attention.
According to SamMobile, offline Gemini support is coming to the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Right now, the feature is exclusive to Google’s Pixel Watch 5, which launched with Wear OS 7 and includes the ability to run Gemini without a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. But given that Samsung’s new watches run the same Wear OS 7 platform and carry the same Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, the feature is expected to arrive via a software update.
So what can offline Gemini actually do? The supported voice commands are pretty practical:
- Setting a timer
- Toggling water lock
- Turning on the flashlight or Wi-Fi
- Starting a workout
- Controlling music playback and volume
None of that is flashy. But that’s exactly the point. These are the things you actually reach for your watch to do, often when your phone isn’t nearby or your connection is patchy. Having AI handle them without needing a signal is genuinely useful, not a gimmick.
To get offline Gemini working, users will need the Gemini app updated to version 1.36 or later through the Play Store on their Wear OS device. The hardware requirement matters too. The Snapdragon Wear Elite chip inside the Galaxy Watch 9 series is what makes local AI processing possible. Older Galaxy Watches won’t be getting this, so don’t get your hopes up if you’re still on a Watch 6.
This fits into a broader shift happening across the smartwatch space. AI assistants are moving from cloud-dependent luxuries to features that work in the real world, with real-world connectivity limitations. Google started it with Pixel Watch 5. Samsung is likely next. And once users try asking their watch something without scrambling for a connection, going back feels frustrating.
The Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 already run One UI 9 Watch on top of Wear OS 7, which brought better health tracking and deeper Gemini integration from launch. Offline support would round that out nicely.