Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9: Rumors Point to Major Battery Upgrades
With less than a week to go until Samsung’s next Unpacked event, we’re getting a much clearer picture of what the company’s next Galaxy watches might look like. Official-looking images of the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 have surfaced alongside the rest of Samsung’s upcoming foldable lineup.
First reported by Android Headlines, the latest leak doesn’t reveal any new hardware specifications, but it suggests Samsung is taking an iterative approach rather than introducing a dramatic redesign. The Galaxy Watch 9 appears to retain its circular display housed within Samsung’s squircle-shaped case, while the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 sticks with the rugged aesthetic introduced on the original Ultra. The images also show both watches side by side, suggesting a noticeable difference in display size between the two models.
If the rumors are accurate, the biggest change this year (and arguably the most welcome) could be battery life. According to a report from SamMobile, later highlighted by 9to5Google, Samsung’s rugged Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might be getting a massive new battery. If true, the rumored 800-mAh battery would be the largest in the Wear OS ecosystem and could push battery life way beyond the roughly two-day territory occupied by the current Ultra.
As wearables increasingly move toward holistic health tracking that requires overnight monitoring for recovery metrics and deeper health insights, companies such as Google and Whoop have opted for screenless wearables that prioritize battery life over function. The Ultra 2 could represent a middle ground, combining multi-day endurance with the broader functionality of a traditional smartwatch.
Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 design: same old
Last year, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 debuted a somewhat controversial redesign, making the return of the Galaxy Watch Classic and its physical rotating bezel all the more welcome. This year, a new Classic model doesn’t seem likely, though another redesign isn’t completely out of the question.
The rugged Ultra, which debuted in 2024, got some minor updates in the last cycle, including expanded storage (up to 64GB) and a new color option, but otherwise remained largely unchanged.
That means both the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 could be due for a design refresh in response to criticism of the current lineup.
The next Galaxy Watch Ultra could adopt the rotating bezel from the Classic.
At 47mm, the Ultra is already pushing the limits of wrist real estate (many other smartwatches are 40mm to 44mm, and even the largest sports watches don’t exceed 47mm), but a rotating bezel borrowed (from the Classic line) would be an interesting addition. Whether that feature makes sense on a rugged, adventure-focused smartwatch is another question. And based on the latest leaks, that bezel might remain static this time around.
Battery and processor bumps for both models
Battery increases are expected from one generation to the next, but the latest report suggests Samsung may be planning something far more substantial than an iterative bump.
According to SamMobile, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will reportedly use a battery with a rated capacity of 784 mAh, likely marketed as 800 mAh. That’s roughly a 30% increase over the 590-mAh battery found in the current Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is already the longest-lasting model in Samsung’s smartwatch lineup at roughly two-and-a-half days of real-world use. It would also be significantly larger than the battery in Google’s Pixel Watch and larger than the current Wear OS battery-life leader, the OnePlus Watch 3.
The original Galaxy Watch Ultra (below) pictured alongside the Galaxy Watch 7 (above) lasted roughly two-and-a-half days on a charge.
Combined with the rumored Snapdragon Wear Elite processor and its expected efficiency gains, the larger battery could potentially push Samsung’s flagship smartwatch closer to the three-day mark, or even beyond with battery-saving features enabled. Not quite Garmin territory, but possibly enough to put Samsung at the top of the Wear OS battery-life conversation.
The same report also claims the smaller 40mm Galaxy Watch 9 will receive a battery increase of its own, rising to a rated capacity of 382 mAh from 325 mAh.
Unlocking new health metrics
The Ultra 2 could also bring a new processor and upgraded sensors focused on deeper health tracking. Last year’s most notable addition was Samsung’s Antioxidant Index, which can detect nutrition-related signals through the skin’s surface. This year, Samsung could go even deeper into nutrition and metabolic tracking, with broader health insights and potentially even progress toward noninvasive glucose monitoring — one of the long-standing holy grails of wearable health technology.
More AI and less reliance on your phone
Samsung also appears to be laying the groundwork for more AI-powered health insights. The company recently previewed several new Samsung Health features, including Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index — all designed to help people better understand long-term trends in their health and fitness data.
While these features aren’t tied specifically to the Galaxy Watch 9 or Ultra 2, they suggest Samsung is moving toward a future where its watches do more than collect biometric data. Instead, they’ll increasingly analyze that information and give personalized recommendations around recovery, cardiovascular health, training intensity and overall wellness.
Improved processing power could also unlock more on-device AI capabilities, allowing future Galaxy watches to deliver real-time coaching and health guidance without relying as heavily on a connected smartphone — in line with the current running coach on the Galaxy Watch 8.
AI health coaches are popping up in wearables and could become more prominent on the next Galaxy Watch.
Satellite connectivity is another possibility (at least for the Ultra 2), following similar additions on the Apple Watch Ultra and Pixel Watch 4.
All of this remains speculation for now, but it’s exciting to see the next Galaxy Watch lineup starting to take shape as more pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
Where’s the Galaxy Ring 2?
One notable absence from the 2026 Samsung wearable conversation: the Galaxy Ring. The original launched in summer 2024 at the height of smart ring hype, but Samsung has yet to hint at a successor. At this stage in the game, nothing has surfaced (in terms of leaks or rumors) pointing to a Galaxy Ring 2 this cycle. Whether this signals a broader smart ring hesitation or just a temporary prioritization of smartwatches remains to be seen. For now, Samsung only appears to have the two-tier watch launch for its 2026 wearable line-up: the Watch 9 and Ultra 2.
All of this is still based on leaks and early industry signals; none of it has been confirmed by Samsung. But the pieces are starting to fall into place.
Watch this: Galaxy Watch 8 vs. Classic vs. Ultra: Which Should You Buy?
