Galaxy Watch 9 Leaks Reveal the Biggest Upgrades Ahead of Samsung Launch

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 9 looks like an incremental upgrade to the smartwatch, not a full redesign. Earlier this week, leaked renders showed that the watch will keep the same circular display and squircle-style case that debuted with the Galaxy Watch8. The most notable changes are a more subtle brushed-metal finish, new case colours and a redesigned default band. The leaked design details are unofficial until the launch, as Samsung has not yet confirmed the final hardware.

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New Snapdragon Chip May Be Biggest Internal Upgrade

One of the biggest rumoured upgrades is a shift to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. It’s also been reported that Samsung could ditch its recent Exynos chips for smartwatches, which could mean better processing performance and efficiency, and better support for AI-driven features. The leaked images also show some minor external design changes but the chipset change could have a bigger impact on day-to-day usage.

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Battery sizes might look familiar

Looks like the Galaxy Watch 9 will keep being offered in 40mm and 44mm sizes. The larger 44mm model has been equipped with a 435mAh battery, which suggests Samsung may not be making a huge leap in terms of raw battery capacity for that model. So a bigger battery will not mean a huge increase in real world battery life, so much as a more efficient processor, better software optimisation and better background power management.

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Big part of update is new Samsung Health features

Samsung has already previewed new AI-powered Samsung Health features that give a better sense of where the company’s wearable software is headed. The new experience includes Vitals, which tracks health signals while sleeping, and tools like Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index. The aim is to help turn the health data they collect into more useful daily advice, rather than simply showing users individual measurements and charts.

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Watch firmware testing hints at imminent release

Another interesting sign reportedly was the appearance of firmware for model number SM-L345U on a U.S.-based test server. Firmware testing doesn’t confirm a retail launch date, but it can be a sign that a device is in the latter stages of development and software testing. The report also supports Samsung’s hopes to have its next generation of smartwatches ready for a summer 2026 reveal.

Sources

• 9to5Google – The Galaxy Watch 9 will keep the circular display and squircle-style case design but will receive updated finishes, new colours and redesigned bands according to leaked renders.
• Tom’s Guide – Rumours have suggested that Samsung could use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform to enhance processing power, battery life and AI performance.
• PhoneArena – Galaxy Watch 9 to be available in 40mm and 44mm sizes. The 44mm version is said to have a 435mAh battery, and software and chipset improvements should boost efficiency.
• Samsung U.S. Newsroom – Samsung introduces new health features including Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index to provide more meaningful health information.
• Android Central – Firmware testing and leaks suggest Bluetooth and LTE models, potential 10W charging support, and preparing for a summer 2026 launch